The Cankered Carrot Caper
by Hyaku-Legger
Summary: When crops start failing in several farming towns across the country shortly before a large corporation starts buying up the farmland, Officer Nicholas P. Wilde suspects foul play. He and Officer Judy Hopps start an investigation to find out if there is a connection between the failing crops and the sudden rise of the mega-corporation Terra Firma, Inc.
1. Family

_**The Cankered Carrot Caper**_

 _ **A Zootopia Story**_

Judy Hopps inhaled the wonderful aroma of her mother's delicious chunky carrot stew. She held her spoon halfway between her plate and her mouth, savouring the scent with anticipation before finally taking a spoonful of rich homemade food.

Suppertime was always a happy occasion for the Hopps family. It was a brisk autumn evening in mid-October. There was a sharp nip in the air, the pumpkins were ripe and fat and apples weighed down the branches of their trees. Everyone was warm and cosy inside their lovely home, enjoying mother's hearty meal after a long day working on the farm.

"You've really outdone yourself, mom," said Judy, beaming at her mother from across the table as she took another spoonful of stew.

"You're too kind, sweetheart," said Bonnie Hopps with a motherly smile.

"So, how are things in the big ol' city, Jude?" asked Judy's father, Stuart Hopps.

"Same old same old, it's been quiet for the most part," said Judy. "We have a new friend in the Forensics Department. The coyote girl that we helped in August, remember?"

"Oh yes, during that incident with that crazy hypnotist and her cohort," said Bonnie.

"Yup," said Judy. "Her name is Amber. She's very sweet. And she's a total Nick Wilde fangirl," she added giggling. "I wouldn't be surprised if she owned his body pillow."

"What's a body pillow?" asked Stu.

"Oh, um... er..." Judy hesitated awkwardly.

"Mommy, can I have seconds?" piped up Judy's little sister, Bianca.

"Sure, honey," said Bonnie, taking her daughter's plate.

"That's my little girl," said Stu, giving Bianca a pat on the head. "A healthy appetite will give you lots of strength to help mommy and daddy on the farm."

"And if you have any doubts, just look at daddy," said Bonnie, giving her husband a playful smile.

Judy smiled, feeling a surge of love towards her dear family.

"So, what's a body pillow, Jude?" asked Stu, turning to her.

"Oh... ermmm..."

RIIIINNG! Their doorbell rang all of a sudden.

"I'll get it," said Stu, getting up from the table.

"Whew!" thought Judy. "Saved by the bell."

As Stu went to answer the door, Judy enjoyed the rest of her supper.

"So, I bet Nick is just tingling to come over for Christmas, isn't he, dear?" asked Bonnie, returning with Bianca's plate.

"Oh, he won't talk about anything else during break time," said Judy giggling. "He's getting a ten day leave, starting this Saturday and ending next Monday. Fortunately, it will coincide with the last week of mine. Then we're back on duty on the 31st, for the Halloween patrol."

"Your father is counting the hours, dear," said Bonnie. "He can't wait until Saturday to pick up Nick and tell him all about his cribbage night with the old boys."

"Oh, pops," said Judy with a fond smile. "If someone had told me a year ago that he'd be chumming with a fox like they'd been friends all their lives, I'd tell them to lay off the strong cheese."

Bonnie giggled as she sipped some of her homemade carrot juice.

"Bucks," she said. "They're just overgrown kittens, all of them."

Suddenly, Judy's phone rang. And the ringtone couldn't have been more telling of who was calling.

" _Oh where o where can my baaaby beee...!"_

"And speaking of overgrown kits," said Bonnie with a knowing smile.

"Uh, sorry. I gotta take this call," said Judy, blushing pink.

"I'm sure you do," said Bonnie with a teasing smile and wink.

"Excuse me for a sec," said Judy, getting up.

"Tee-hee," said Maggie, one of Judy's little sisters, "Judy's boyfwiend is calling her! Smoochie, smoochie! Mwah mwah mwaah!"

All her little sisters giggled. Judy smiled and giggled along as she got up from the table and answered.

"Hey there, handsome!" she said.

"How's my little carrot muffin?" said Nick's voice.

"Great! We're just finishing supper. How's things on your end?" asked Judy as she walked into the hallway and to the living room.

"Just fine. Tomorrow is normal routine, and then Saturday is the day."

"That it is," said Judy excitedly. "Oh, sweetheart, I can't wait! And neither can anybody else, for that matter. Mother's had the guest room prepared for a week, and goes in every day to touch up some little details. I hope you like petunias, by the way."

"Love 'em."

"And Dad's just itching to play cards with you. It'll be so great! A weekend of family fun and relaxation."

"That it will be, my love," said Nick.

Judy walked into the living room, but realised it was occupied. Stu was sitting on the sofa talking with Judy's uncle, Terry. His face was grave.

"Sorry," mouthed Judy as she walked out and went to her room instead.

"So Wolford and Fangmeyer have this new thing going on," said Nick's voice. "And apparently I'm a part of it too. It's kinda hard to explain over the phone, you'll have to see it in person. And Clawhauser thinks we should make it into the official victory chant of the department. I needn't tell you what Bogo thinks."

"I imagine it's something along the lines of 'Grow up, the lot of you' or something to that effect," laughed Judy.

She listened to Nick laughing on the other end. Her dear fox's laughter was music to her ears. It made her smile happily as she imagined him sitting in his living room in joggers and a t-shirt, relaxing and enjoying the conversation.

"Well, Carrots, I should get some grub in my gizzard and hit the keyboard. Gotta get a report finished for tomorrow before I hit the hay," said Nick's voice.

"Okay, sweetheart," said Judy. "You have a good day tomorrow, you hear?"

"Will do," said Nick. "And I'll have an even better day after tomorrow."

"I bet you will," cooed Judy. "Kiss kiss. Mwah!"

"Mwah!"

And they hung up.

Judy walked back to the living room to say hello to her uncle, but suddenly, she heard him talking and stopped in the corridor, listening.

"...I had everything tied in this year's crops," said her uncle in a low voice. "I don't know what I'm gonna tell Daisy..."

"You're not gonna tell her anything she doesn't need to know, Terry," said Stu. "Now go ahead, take it. Just pay your debt and we'll figure something out."

"Much obliged, Stu," said Uncle Terry. "I don't know what I'd do..."

"Now, don't you mention it, Terry. That's what family is for. Say hello to Daisy and the kids for us."

"I will," said Uncle Terry. "Thank you, thank you so much."

Judy walked into the room, pretending she didn't hear anything, smiling.

"Hi Uncle Terry!" said Judy happily.

"Hiya Judy!" said her uncle, his face unreadable. "Um, say hello to Bonnie for me."

"I will," said Judy, wondering why he didn't say hello to her himself.

"Uncle Terry was just leaving," said Stu. "Come on, I'll walk you to the door."

As the door closed and Stu returned to the living room, Judy looked puzzled.

"What's wrong with Uncle Terry?"

"Black rot. Ruined the whole crop," said Stu gravely. "He had everything tied in this year's harvest, and he couldn't pay the bank. So I lent him the money."

"Awww, daddy, that's so nice of you," said Judy, putting her arm around Stu's shoulder.

"Well, it's the right good thing to do, I reckon," said Stu. "But I've never heard of selective black rot before. Usually it wipes out the whole valley when it comes around, like it did in '67."

"Yeah," said Judy, thinking of it. "Yeah, that is weird."

* * *

"PUT THE CHILD DOWN!" shouted the voice of Chief Bogo into the megaphone. "TAKING A HOSTAGE WILL ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR YOU."

The patrol cars were all parked in front of the building, forming a corral. All the officers had stun guns in their paws, but the safety on them was switched on. Against the wall of the building, a large warehouse, a bespectacled goat was holding a small leopard child in his arm and pointing a taser at her head. The child was crying for her mother, who was behind the police barrier, beside herself with desperation.

"PLEASE! DON'T HURT MY BABY!" cried the mother leopard with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"MR CAPRI, YOU ARE SURROUNDED!" shouted Bogo. "LET THE CHILD GO AND TURN YOURSELF IN."

"I ain't letting go of anything, copper!" shouted the goat. "Not until Cosgrove let's go of some checks!"

"MR CAPRI, WE KNOW YOU ARE UPSET YOU WERE LAID OFF," said Bogo, trying to sound understanding. "BUT WE CAN SOLVE THIS IN A PEACEFUL WAY. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER."

"You think I'm joking, copper?!" shouted the goat, turning the safety off on his stun gun. It made the familiar whirring sound of charging and everyone gasped.

"ALRIGHT, MR CAPRI," said Bogo and put down the megaphone. "You don't have to do this. We can talk this out."

"Drop the weapons, all of y'all!" shouted Mr Capri.

"You heard him," said Bogo to his officers. "Holster your arms, everyone."

Everyone turned their stun guns off and put them back in their holsters.

"Now get Clayton Cosgrove down here!" shouted Mr Capri. "Do it or I swear I'll fry the kid!"

"NO!" wailed the mother. "PLEASE, MY BABY!"

Nick was behind the open door of his squad car. He looked to the left of the scene. There was an alley beside the building with a side entrance that stood ajar.

"Hmm…." he thought.

Very quietly and stealthily, Nick walked away from the scene, keeping behind the police cars. He got to the end of the block and ran around the corner, his mind devising a plan.

"Cosgrove keeps bungee cable in there, I know it," said Nick to himself. "Finnick and I borrowed some once, without him knowing it. And if it's still there…"

Running around the block, Nick got to the back of the Cosgrove building. He quietly sidled along the wall until he got to the side door that stood ajar. He could see the police barrier and hear Mr Capri making demands.

"...and I want a written apology from Clayton Cosgrove! In his hoofwriting, none of that computer printed rubbish! Written and signed by Cosgrove himself!"

"Okay," said Nick to himself as he dashed into the building and raced up a stairwell. "Third floor, left, fourth door."

Nick walked into a storage area with a single window. There were large boxes of supplies on aluminium shelves, and ladders to reach the upper ones. And near the window…

"Bingo!" said Nick, taking several lengths of bungee cable with hooks on the ends out of a box.

He strapped himself securely in the cable and walked to the window. From the window, he looked directly down at Mr Capri. He had put the child on the sidewalk but was still aiming at her with his taser.

Nick looked up and saw a flagpole just above the window.

"Double bingo!"

Quietly, he opened the window and threw the other end of the cable at the flagpole. The hook latched onto it securely.

"Okay," said Nick to himself. "Geronimo!"

He jumped out the window! The sidewalk sped towards him and he could feel the wind in his face. Just as he was about to hit, though, the cable pulled him back. Nick came to a stop for a second, right beside the child, and right between the child and an astonished Mr Capri.

"Going up!" said Nick, snatching the child safely in his arms before the cable pulled him back up.

As Nick bounced back up, he hugged the child safely in one arm and held onto the flagpole. Then, with an agile leap, he jumped back into the window and landed safely inside.

"You're safe now, angel," said Nick to the child, cradled in his arms. "I'll take you back to mommy."

While Nick walked back down the stairs and out of the building, Mr Capri was apprehended by the ZPD officers. But not before he shot his taser at Anderson.

While the paramedics assisted Anderson, Bogo himself zapped Capri with his stun gun and the goat fell to the ground.

"Günter Capri, you are under arrest for assault, both verbal and physical, hostage-taking and assaulting of an officer of the law," said Bogo as he cuffed the perpetrator.

"Drop dead, copper!"

"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…"

Nick walked to the front of the building with the leopard child in his arms. The child was at ease now, clinging to Nick.

"MY BABY!" wailed the mother, running past the police barrier and towards Nick.

"Back to mommy now, angel," said Nick, giving the child back to her mother.

"Oh, Officer Wilde!" said the mother, hugging Nick in a smothering grip. "You're a saviour! Thank you so much!"

"Just doing my duty, ma'am," said Nick. "Let me get you some ice cream over there at Dairy Dee's, you both had a traumatic experience. Our police counsellor would be very happy to assist you. Her name is Opal…"

* * *

Nick walked into the briefing room. It was packed and noisy as usual. He took his usual seat.

"Hey Wilde!"

Nick turned around and saw Fangmeyer and Wolford. He knew what came next.

" _It's really hot!"_ said Wolford.

" _What's hot?"_ said Nick

" _What we got!"_ said Fangmeyer.

" _Really hot!"_ said Wolford.

" _You'd better run away before you're caught!"_ said Nick.

"AWOOOOOO!" they howled, standing on their chairs.

"Alright, settle down, everyone!" said Chief Bogo, walking into the room.

Everyone sat down to listen.

"Mr Capri is in custody, there were 73 witnesses, I'm sure the case will be clean as they come. Congratulations for a job well done, all of you," said Bogo. "Stay on your toes. There are bound to be more disgruntled employees who were laid off in the past month. They might want to pick up where Capri left off and we might not be so lucky next time. That's the end of the debriefing! Off you go!"

Everyone got up and started to walk out of the room.

"Wilde!"

Nick turned around. Bogo was looking directly at him from the podium, which added several inches to his already enormous height.

"A word, if you please."

Nick walked closer to the podium, wondering what Buffalo-Butt had in store for him.

"My felicitations," said Bogo. "You handled the situation well. It is not often I am at a loss, but this morning was one of those occasions. If it hadn't been for your astute handling of the situation, I don't know what the outcome would have been. I'm glad to have you on the force."

He gave Nick one of his rare, barely visible smiles.

"Just doing my duty, sir," said Nick, saluting.

Bogo nodded in acknowledgement.

"You can clear off, now," said Bogo, his usual gruff expression returning.

"Thanks, Chief," said Nick and he headed towards the door.

* * *

The rush of pastry smell and freshly ground coffee beans was always a treat for Nick's nostrils when he opened the door to Mollie Moo's shop.

"Morning, Mollie!"

"Good morning, Officer!"

"Carrot cake doughnut and coffee for one, please."

"Oh, Officer, I'm very sorry, but we're out of carrot pastries. Can I get you a cinnamon roll or Danish?"

"Sure, cinnamon roll is fine," said Nick, sitting down at a table his size and setting his sunglasses next to the sugar bowl.

"There's been a carrot shortage for almost a week now, Officer," said Mollie as she brought him his order.

"Carrot shortage?" asked Nick. "First I hear of it. Who's your supplier?"

"Old Hearn's Farm Fresh Produce," said Mollie. "My sister told me they're being bought up by another company."

"Really?" asked Nick. "That's kinda sad. They've been around since I can remember. Have things really become that bad for them?"

"It would appear so," said Mollie. "Things are tough lately, for some reason. Old Cosgrove was bought out too and the new company laid off the entire staff overnight."

"Yeah, I heard," said Nick, remembering the incident that morning.

"Business is a dog-eat-dog affair, Officer," said Mollie. "I sure am glad I'm a quaint little coffee shop owner with no worries besides baking tasty things for you kind police folk."

"That makes two of us, Mollie," said Nick with a kind smile.

"Well, better get back to the kitchen. The next batch is due in a sec," said Mollie. "Enjoy, Officer."

"Thank you."

As Mollie walked away, Nick took a bite of tasty cinnamon roll and thought about what he had heard.

"Carrot shortage," he said to himself. "Hmm."

He thought of the fields filled with ripening carrots of Bunny Burrow as he enjoyed his freshly-brewed coffee.

* * *

The workday ended and Nick punched out. As he walked home, he stopped by a bodega to get some groceries. Grover, the owner of the bodega, was watching a small television screen on the counter. His antlers could be seen behind it, making it look like they were the television aerials.

Suddenly, Nick thought of something.

"Any fresh carrots, Grove?" asked Nick.

"Sorry, Officer. We've been fresh out for a week," said Grover without looking away from the telly. "We should get a new shipment next week, Tuesday-ish, give or take."

"Hmm…" said Nick. "I wonder what's with the carrots playing hooky."

"You and me both, Officer," said Grover.

Nick paid for his purchases and walked the rest of the way home.

He got into his apartment and walked to the kitchen, setting the groceries on the counter and going to his room to change into something more comfortable.

As he was unbuttoning his uniform, his phone rang. The ringtone gave away the caller.

 _"And IIiiiiii….will always looove yoouuu, oooh…"_

Nick chuckled and answered the phone.

"Who could be calling at this hour?" said Nick.

"And who else could it be, my dear, but the one and only, little ol' me, your bunny lord," said Judy's voice.

"And to what do I owe this honour, oh Lord of the Fluff-tails?" said Nick.

"I didn't know you were a circus star, Mr Wilde," said Judy's voice. "That was some stunt!"

"Hehe," said Nick. "Who told you?"

"I saw it myself," said Judy's voice. "Clawhauser sent me the video almost immediately. It's gone somewhat viral, I must say. I won't be surprised it if becomes meme of the year."

"Haha," said Nick. "Information does travel fast."

"And so do you, my dear, with bungee cables attached to your legs," said Judy's voice. "I can't begin to tell you how wonderfully heroic you were today. I do believe a reward is in order."

"Well, that's one of the perks of the job, your rewards," said Nick seductively.

"Movie night, then," said Judy's voice. "There's a movie I want to watch, it just came out. I'll treat you to an evening of cinema and maybe we can go for a stroll in the park afterwards…and see where it goes from there."

"That we shall, my love," said Nick.

"Can't wait to have you here, Nick," said Judy's voice. "The carrot fields are just so beautiful on a brisk October evening."

Two hundred and eleven miles away, Judy stood by the window in the living room as she spoke. The carrot fields shone in the moonlight with a very enchanting effect.

And then, Nick remembered something.

"Hey Carrots, did you hear anything about a carrot shortage?" said Nick's voice from Judy's phone.

"Carrot shortage? No. Not at all, when did you hear this?"

"This morning. Mollie Moo and Grover the grocer said that there has been a carrot shortage for a week now," said Nick's voice.

"Hmm, I heard nothing of it," said Judy.

She looked out the window at the fat, juicy carrots ripening in the fields. They were days away from being picked.

"Certainly not here."

"Hmm...oh well, must be a regional sort of thing," said Nick's voice. "Well, I'm gonna get something to eat and pack my suitcase. Because tomorrow…"

"…is the day!" finished Judy, blushing delightedly.

"I'll see you all tomorrow, my best beloved," said Nick's voice.

"That you will, honey bun," said Judy. "Good night."

"Nini."

They kissed over the phone and hung up.

And just as she hung up, Judy remembered Uncle Terry and his failed crops.

"Oh drat...maybe I should have told him...ah, well, tomorrow."

* * *

The train stopped at twelve o'clock sharp at the Bunny Burrow Railway Station. As Nick walked off the train, Judy came running to him. Smiling broadly, Nick put his suitcase down and opened his arms. She leaped onto him and he embraced her tight, lifted her and spun around with her in his arms like in the train station love scenes of those old black-and-white films.

"Ahh, I've been wanting to do that for a week!" said Nick as he finally stopped twirling around and hugged his sweet bunny tight to his chest.

"Always the hopeless romantic, Mr Wilde," giggled Judy as she hugged him back.

"I'll give you the hopeless bit, but the romantic…ahh, I dunno," said Nick as he set her back on the ground and grabbed his suitcase.

Judy giggled as she held his arm snugly and they walked away from the platform and towards the truck, parked not far away.

"Mother is making lunch," said Judy. "She synchronised her day so that everything will happen at the exact hour. Dad's got the card deck on the living room table just waiting for you."

"Well, let's not keep the waiting waiting, then," said Nick.

They got into the truck and Judy drove them home. As they drove, Nick admired the fields filled with ripening carrots and the pumpkin patches and orchards.

"Sure feels nice to be back," said Nick. "Can you believe it was summer when I was here last? Feels like it was yesterday."

"Time sure flies when you're rescuing people and being the hero of a viral video," said Judy.

"Hehe," said Nick. "I take it your folks have seen it already?"

"Only about a dozen times," said Judy. "Isabelle even said 'I didn't know Uncle Nick could fly!'"

They laughed heartily.

"You're the hero of the moment, Nick," said Judy, reaching for his paw and holding it snugly.

"Well…all in a day's work, my dear," said Nick.

Just as they arrived at the gate of Hopps family farm, Judy stopped the truck. She turned to Nick, her eyes filled with adoration.

"And the hero always gets the girl," she cooed softly, edging closer to him.

"That's part of the job, too," whispered Nick, and they embraced warmly and kissed for a long while.

* * *

Nick took a deep breath of clean air as he carried the basket of apples across the field in one paw, walking beside Judy and behind Mr and Mrs Hopps.

"I bet it's nice to escape from the city from time to time and soak in some of the peace and quiet of the countryside, eh, Nick?" said Stu, checking each of his carrots as he walked by them.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," said Nick. "You are all very fortunate to have such a wonderful farm, Mr Hopps."

"It's a lot of work, but we enjoy and cherish it," said Bonnie.

"Growing good carrots is like raising a family," said Stu. "It takes a lot of love and care, and we have more than enough to give."

"We're totally on the same page there, Mr Hopps," said Nick. "Ah, how I love carrots."

The parents didn't catch it, but Judy totally did. She squeezed his arm affectionately. He gave her a wink as they walked along the lines of lovely carrots.

"The Euripides Mouse Memorial Hospital special-orders our applesauce," said Bonnie. "We take great pride in being their providers."

"It makes me feel all the more honoured to have a paw in the making of your applesauce, Mrs Hopps," said Nick.

Nick enjoyed spending time at the Hopps Family Farm. The chores were pleasant, the air fresh, and he loved being surrounded by people who loved him like one of the family. Often, Nick would think about where he would be forty years in the future. Leaving the city and settling in a peaceful farming town like Bunny Burrow was a very pleasant prospect, from what he had hitherto experienced.

"Well, just one more day," said Stu. "We'll be harvesting these carrots at their absolute best. Now let's get all cleaned up and ready for supper."

* * *

"Vrooom! Vrrrrommm! Ready for takeoff, Izzy?" said Nick as he sat Isabelle on his shoulders and held her securely.

"Ready, Uncle Nick!"

Nick pretended to fly her around the living room, through the hall and around the kitchen, and then back to the living room.

"Coming in for a landing!" said Nick and he placed her on the sofa.

"That was fun!"

"Okay, who's next?" asked Nick.

"Me!" said a dozen voices.

"Heehe, okay. Let's start with the younger ones first. Maggie, you're next!"

"Yay!"

Nick Wilde The Flying Fox was the new hero in the Hopps household, and all the little bunnies were eager to go on a trip through the house soaring on his shoulders.

Judy giggled and watched happily as her siblings enjoyed their time with Nick. It filled her heart with joy to see their little smiles and her beloved fox bringing such joy to the house.

"Okay, my fine little pilots," said Bonnie Hopps, walking into the room after a while. "Next stop: bed. Chop, chop."

The little bunnies laughed and chattered happily as they left the room. But one remained.

"Can you fly me to bed, Uncle Nick?" asked Bianca, tugging at his sleeve.

"Hop on board, little ace, and off we go!" said Nick, picking her up.

Judy and Bonnie watched as Nick carried Bianca to her room with her siblings. He took her all the way and placed her gently in the upper bunk of her bunk-bed, tucking her in snugly.

"Sweet dreams, little lady," said Nick.

"Uncle Nick?" said Bianca.

"Yes?"

She edged closer to him and hugged him around the neck.

"I love you."

The fox felt his heart swell with tenderness as the fuzzy little bunny kissed his cheek. Something in his throat welled up.

"Awww, I love you too, little ace," said Nick. "Nighty-night."

As Nick walked out of the room, a small tear of bliss rolled down his cheek. He felt loved. A feeling that was unlike any other. One that he had almost forgotten in his twenty years of living shunned by society and forced to resort to his wit and cunning to swindle and con people for a living.

It sure felt good to be loved.

"Aww, you foxes…so emotional."

Nick's eyes went wide and he turned to see Judy standing in the corridor.

"Heh," said Nick, rubbing his eyes. "Must have gotten something in my eye, while I was flying…should use goggles next time..."

"Oh, you're not fooling anyone, Mr Soft-heart," said Judy, taking his arm and snuggling close to him as they walked down the corridor to the kitchen. "Especially not me."

Nick just chuckled, wiping his eyes with his handkerchief.

"It's so nice to have you here, Nick," said Judy, leaning her head on his chest.

"It's so nice to be here," he said, kissing the top of her head softly.

They walked into the kitchen, where Stu and Bonnie were sitting at the table. Bonnie was pouring tea in four mugs.

"Here you go, Nick," said Bonnie, giving him a mug of hot fresh tea.

"Thank you, Mrs Hopps," said Nick with a warm smile. He knew that Bonnie's tea was her special blend, and she treasured it and would only brew it for someone she really loved. It made him feel all the more welcome in the Hopps family household.

"Well, Nick," said Stu, shuffling the cards. "Ready to take us on?"

"Ready when you are, Mr Hopps," said Nick, sitting at the table and ready for a lively game of bridge with Mr and Mrs Hopps and Judy.

* * *

Nick ran in the meadow, his arms open, feeling the wind and smelling the flowers in full bloom. The sky was blue, the clouds fluffy. He was as happy as he had ever been. In the distance, someone was running towards him.

"Nick!"

It was her. Judy. Nick ran harder, eager to get to her. She was wearing a yellow ribbon around her ear, which flew about behind her in the wind.

They were getting closer, he could almost see every detail of her beautiful face. When suddenly…

Nick lost his footing. A loud rumbling made his body shake, and the ground beneath him opened.

He couldn't scream. He couldn't utter a sound. He fell…and fell…

"OOF!"

Nick landed on the floor. He was in his pyjamas, beside the bed, in the guest room of the Hopps household, in Bunny Burrow.

But the rumbling was still there.

"Huh?"

Nick put his ear to the ground. It was faint. Very faint. It was almost as if he was imagining it, but it was there.

It moved. Nick followed it…out into the corridor, past the kitchen…into the living room…to the front entrance…and then it was gone.

He kneeled there with his ear to the ground. Did he imagine it?

"If you're looking for the kitchen, slick, it's the other way," said a familiar voice behind him.

Nick stood up and turned around to find Judy standing in the corridor in her purple nightgown. She had a glass of water in her paw and a curious look on her face.

"Do I need to ask?" said Judy.

Nick chuckled a little and walked towards her.

"Thought I heard something," he said.

"Something like?" asked Judy, putting her arm around Nick's waist and leading him to the living room.

"I don't know," said Nick. "Rumbling?"

"Your tummy must really be your driving force if it's taken you this far," giggled Judy as she sat with him on the sofa.

"Har har," said Nick. "Didn't you hear anything?"

"All I hear is a little voice in my head. Two, actually," said Judy, edging closer to him. "One is saying: 'Kiss him'. The other is saying: 'Midnight snogging on the sofa is for teenagers, you're better than that, Judy'. And quite frankly, I don't know which voice to listen to."

"Well, let the single-minded little voice in my head pick for you, then," said Nick, embracing her on the sofa and kissing her passionately, placing the thoughts of strange midnight rumbling sounds in the back of his mind and concentrating on the more pleasant midnight snogging while trying not to make too much noise and alert the parents.

* * *

The skins of apples were tricky to remove in one piece, in long strips curling like springs, but Nick got the hang of it after his twentieth try. Bonnie instructed him expertly as they peeled basketfuls of apples for sauce. She really appreciated having an apprentice around. It made the day go by quicker when she had someone to talk to and teach new things. It was like having a big overgrown son who had everything yet to learn.

"There you go, just relax your paw and let the apple turn as you slide your finger around," said Bonnie, watching approvingly as Nick skinned an apple completely in one go. "Very good, Nick."

The kitchen counter was lined with all the necessary elements to make the Hopps Family Farm Homemade Applesauce. Skinned and cored apples were piling up and there was just about enough for the first batch to start cooking.

Stu and Judy walked into the kitchen for a sip of carrot juice. They were both wearing hats and gardening gloves. They removed their gloves and placed them on the counter near the backdoor to the yard as they walked in.

"So, how are the geraniums this morning?" asked Bonnie as she poured her husband and daughter glasses of carrot juice.

"Looking good. The greenhouse was a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself," said Stu with his thumbs in his overall straps, smiling proudly.

He had taken out a loan from the Stoat Farm Bank and purchased an extra two hectares of land near the bottom of his farmland. He decided to build a greenhouse for growing flowers all year round. It turned out great, and now the Hopps family could grow flowers in addition to all their other comestible products.

"This year's going to be a bountiful one," said Stu happily as he looked at his fields full of delicious vegetables and fruits and his shiny new greenhouse. The sight of a farm so full and fertile and rich with healthy produce was a symphony to a farmer bunny's heart. They all felt it.

Even Nick began to feel inside him the joy of seeing the farm so lush and full. He felt he could really become fond of life here in Bunny Burrow. It was a mixture of tranquillity, simplicity, hard work, cooperation…and _family_. Above all else, it was about family.

* * *

That evening, after supper, the family was gathered in the living room. There was a quaint fire crackling merrily in the hearth and everyone sat on a big circle. Stu took a wind-up duckling with a bowtie and placed it in front of him, making it face outwards into the space in the middle of the family all gathered around.

"Okay, everyone," said Stu. "It's time for Sunday What We've Learned Today."

"What we've learned on this day to the duckling we'll say! He shall quack, walk and pick, and where he stops, that bunny is it!" recited the whole family.

Stu wound up the duckling and let it go. The little toy duck quacked and walked…and it stopped at Peter's lap.

"What I've learned today," said Peter, Judy's brother who was her age. "I learned to repair the chain on the tractor with big brother Tom. That way when it becomes loose again, I can fix it in a jiffy."

"Very good, Petey!"

Everyone applauded. Peter wound up the duckling and it waddled quacking for a while, then stopped at Joey's lap.

"What I've learned today," said Joey, Judy's younger brother. "I learned to catch apples while big brother Mark climbs the tree and tosses them down. And now we can gather them twice as fast."

"Alright, Joey!"

Joey wound up the little duckling and let it go. It waddled in a straight line and stopped right in front of Nick.

Nick picked up the duckling and smiled, looking at the whole family.

"What I've learned today," said Nick. "I learned how to peel an apple in one go. And to make the skin dangle like a spring and go boing-boing!"

All the little bunnies giggled and laughed.

"Very good, Nick," said Mrs Hopps approvingly.

Nick wound up the little duckling and it walked in a beeline and stopped in front of Isabelle.

"What I learned today," said Isabelle. "I learned how much fun it is to do my chores when Uncle Nick helps me. He helped me pick the apples that were way up too high for me, and he flew me up and I could reach all the apples!"

"Aww…"

"Very good, honey."

The whole family applauded. Nick smiled warmly. Isabelle wound up the little duckling and it waddled in a wobbly line and stopped in front of Bianca.

"What I learned today," said Bianca. "I learned how much fun it is to have an uncle who is so nice and helps everyone in the house, even mommy and daddy with their chores. I didn't know mommy and daddy needed help with their chores, but Uncle Nick helped them. He's the bestest uncle in the whole wide world."

Nick felt his eyes become damp. He tried hard to keep it in, but in vain.

The duckling waddled towards Maggie, and she stood up and walked across the space in the middle, directly at Nick.

"I learned that everything is more fun when Uncle Nick is with us, and everybody is extra happy when he is here, mommy and daddy and big sister Judy, and I hope he will always be our uncle forever and ever."

And with that she hugged Nick as best as she could, being so small.

Judy saw it first. Big tears rolling down his cheeks. His lip trembled. His eyes closed, letting the tears stream, abandoning any effort to keep them from leaving his eyes.

"Awwww…" she said, hugging him around the waist and snuggling close to him.

Stu patted him on the back gently. Bonnie held his paw. The little bunnies all walked up to him and hugged him as best as they could. Soon the fox was surrounded by fuzzy bunnies, all of them showing their affection in a way he never imagined he'd ever deserve in his life.

"Thank you…everyone," were the only words he could utter, his voice shaky and filled with emotion.

"You spend more time with us, Nick, and you'll end up just as emotional as a bunny," said Judy, kissing his cheek sweetly.

For once in his life, Nick could not think of any witty retort. He just smiled and gave thanks to the forces that had driven him and Judy together, and for being where he was, the way he was.

* * *

At last, harvest day arrived! Everyone was up bright and early. Gloves and hats and overalls and all the necessary essentials were ready. Judy looked at Nick and couldn't help giggling.

"Anyone who saw you now would say you'd been born and raised a farmer, Mr Wilde."

He was wearing heavy-duty overalls and a hat, a chequered shirt, gloves and a big smile.

"Then I got it right," said Nick smiling. "Picked it out myself, you know."

"Well done, slick. But there's something missing," said Judy.

"And that would be?"

"Hmmm…" Judy narrowed her eyes and walked closer to him, looking him all over.

Judy took a long, thin stalk of straw and put it in between Nick's teeth. Nick grinned and held the straw in his teeth at an angle, giving him the perfect farmer look.

"There," she said approvingly. "Oh, and one more thing..."

She stood on tiptoe, placing her paws on his chest, and kissed his cheek.

"Now you're all set," she whispered lovingly.

Nick beamed happily as Stu and Bonnie and the older bunnies walked into the barn where he and Judy were.

"Well, let's get started everyone!" said Stu excitedly. "John, you'll prepare the storage with Oakley. Manny, I want you and Cindy to start from the south end. Jay and Tam will start from the north end. Your ma and I will begin…"

But he was cut off by a loud voice. A voice that came from the fields, from someone running towards the barn.

"Pa!" yelled Peter.

They all turned to see him running towards the barn. There was desperation in his eyes.

"Pa! You'd better come see this!"

Everyone followed Peter. And what they saw would be forever ingrained in their memories.

"I…I don't understand," said Stu, looking at his carrots.

They were withered. They were brown. They were dead.

"They were fat and healthy yesterday," said Stu.

"Black rot, pa," said Manny. "Like in '67, when grandpa almost lost the farm."

"Should I get Doctor Philbert, Pa?" asked Peter. "Maybe he can help."

Doctor Philbert was the plant doctor. He lived not far from their farm, just a few miles before town.

"No, Petey, Doc Philbert can't help us," said Stu, his expression devastated, his ears limp…every fibre of his being in absolute shock. "They're dead."

* * *

The Hopps family checked every single carrot on their farm. They were all dead. Withered, brown, sickly-looking. Not a single one survived.

Stuart Hopps could not believe what was happening. He sat on the sofa in the living room, looking into empty space. His mind told him from time to time to wake up from this horrible dream. But then he looked out the window at his fields…and he realised this was not a nightmare, and there was no waking up from it.

"I just…don't understand," said Stu. "Everything was fine. They were ready to be picked…what could have happened…"

"Stu, honey bun," said his wife, holding his paw, trying her best to comfort him even though she too was disconsolate. "One year's harvest won't break us."

"The loan…" mumbled Stu. "I had everything tied in this year's crops. How am I going to pay the loan…"

"We'll manage, honey," said Bonnie. "Our savings…"

"I gave my savings to Terry…so he could pay his debt…what am I going to do now?"

Everyone was gathered around. The sorrow was heavy in the air. Their entire livelihood rested on a good crop. This was a catastrophe.

The heavy silence was suddenly interrupted by a loud horn honking outside.

"Oh…that's Gideon," said Bonnie. "Um…children, can you please carry the applesauce outside to Gideon's truck?"

The children did so in silence. Nick watched as they exited the room, their ears limp, their faces sad. He looked at Judy beside him. She had that same expression he had seen a year ago…one he thought he'd never see again…that night, in front of Chief Bogo…in the Rainforest District…

"I'll, uh…I'll go help with the applesauce," said Nick, walking out of the room. Nobody stopped him. Nobody answered.

Nick walked into the kitchen and grabbed two boxes of Hopps Family Farm Homemade Applesauce and walked outside with them. A pink-and-beige coloured van was parked in the driveway not far from the house. Gideon Gray, the baker fox of Bunny Burrow and Judy's childhood nemesis, was talking with Peter as he helped load the boxes into the back of his van.

"I…I can't tell you how sorry I am to hear that," said Gideon. "My grandma told me about the big black rot wave of '67. Took out the entire valley, almost starved the town."

Nick walked closer with his boxes and Gideon saw him. His eyes were wide with surprise. Clearly, foxes were a rarity in Bunny Burrow, and seeing one who wasn't from the town was an event.

"Officer Wilde!" said Gideon.

"Morning, Gideon," said Nick, giving him the boxes of applesauce.

"So glad to meet you at last," said Gideon, placing the boxes neatly in the back of his van. "I've heard so much about you."

"I've heard all about you too," said Nick.

Gideon's face twitched. He looked embarrassed.

"Uh, good things, naturally," said Nick quickly. "Judy tells me you're one heck of a baker."

"Ah, well…kind of runs in the family," said Gideon.

"Baker's boy, taking on the family business," said Nick. "Seems to be the way things are done in the countryside. I like that philosophy. It makes things a great deal simpler, let me tell you."

"Well, you've got so many choices in the big city, so I heard."

"Ah, it ain't all it's cracked up to be," said Nick. "But each place has its perks. Well, I'll be back, with more of the good stuff."

Nick walked back into the kitchen and grabbed the last two boxes of applesauce. He was about to walk outside, when suddenly he stopped.

He heard sobbing. Devastated, sorrow-filled sobbing. It was coming from the living room. He could tell it was Stu. He could tell he was disconsolate. And the sound of the father of the Hopps family breaking down like that…

"No," said Nick to himself. "Ain't gonna happen. Not while I'm around."

He made his choice. Quickly and quietly, he ran to the guest room and reached for his suitcase under the bed. He emptied the contents onto the bed and closed the suitcase. Then he carried it with him outside, along with the two last boxes of applesauce. Gideon was looking at the carrot fields, his expression puzzled and empathetic.

"Hey cousin!" said Nick, putting the last two boxes inside the van.

Gideon turned around.

"You heading to town?" asked Nick.

"Yup, gotta get these boxes labelled and shipped on the next train," said Gideon.

"Mind if I hitch a ride into town? I have some business I need to take care of."

"Sure, Officer Wilde! Hop in."

Nick watched in the rear-view mirror as the Hopps family farm disappeared down the road. He held his empty suitcase in his paws, with a single thought in his mind.

"So, how do you like it here in Bunny Burrow, Officer?" asked Gideon, trying to make conversation as he drove.

"It's like a second home to me," said Nick. "Or a first, depending on how you wanna look at it. I wouldn't mind retiring here after forty years or so. Maybe get a small farm, beside a creek, living out the rest of my days in peace and quiet. But I am getting ahead of myself, aren't I?"

"No, it's always good to have dreams," said Gideon. "I think most people here don't dream enough. Not that they need to, we're pretty content with our lives here."

"Yeah," said Nick, looking out the window at the farmland that extended as far as he could see.

"Shame about the black rot," said Gideon. "That's one thing that will put a dent in our peaceful living."

"Yup," said Nick. "I heard from several folks in the city that crops have failed in some of the farms that supply the grocery stores."

"It's the fourth farm I hear of here in Bunny Burrow," said Gideon. "The McCottons had their crops fail just a few days ago. The Joneses, Mirthworths, Hareingtons, and now the Hopps farm. Sure hope it doesn't spread any farther."

"You and me both, cousin," said Nick, taking a deep breath and letting it go slowly.

* * *

Gideon dropped Nick off in front of Barkley's Bank. With a determined look on his face, he walked into the bank and got in line. A few people stared. He stood out among the rest, as an outsider always does when in a small town.

"Can I help you?" asked the poodle teller when it was Nick's turn.

"Yes, I'd like to make a withdrawal," said Nick, taking out his wallet.

"Don't we all," said the poodle quietly.

Nick looked directly into his eyes and opened his wallet, holding it up. Then the poodle's face turned from mock and suspicion to utter shock.

"Officer!" said the poodle in a voice so audible everyone in the bank looked around at him.

"That's right," said Nick loudly, not bothering with niceties. "Officer Nicholas Piberius Wilde, Zootopia Police Department, account number 793074-92-8, I am withdrawing all but the minimum amount to maintain my account open, and step on it, buster…"

Nick paused. His fists clenched…his paws shaking…

"… _my family needs my help_."

* * *

Nick walked down the front steps of the bank and onto the sidewalk. It was a quiet day, everyone going about their various concerns.

Suddenly, Nick spotted a police car pulling up and stopping beside him. Small town police, stopping in front of a stranger, who was carrying a suitcase…just his luck…but…

"Officer Wilde!" said a jolly voice.

Nick looked and smiled. It was Sheriff Donovan Shepard, the Border collie sheriff of Bunny Burrow.

"Sheriff Shepard!" said Nick, walking to the side of the car and extending his paw. Shepard shook his paw through the window with a jovial smile on his face.

"I didn't know you were in town," said Shepard. "So nice to see you. We barely had a chance to meet the last time you were here, on the day of the hearing."

"Yes, I remember," said Nick, remembering the hearing at the courthouse in which Nana Bernardine, Judy's oldest neighbour and the most elderly resident of Bunny Burrow, was cleared of all charges during the infamous crooked carnival incident.

"I'm on my way to the Hopps farm right now," said Nick. "Got something I need to take to them."

"Well, jump in, I'll give you a lift," said Shepard, opening the passenger door.

Shepard's squad car was clean and smelled of pine. It was a fine old model from the early 70's and it ran smooth and silky like it had just been purchased the day before. Nick admired a well-preserved car.

"I haven't had a chance to thank you personally, Officer Wilde," said Shepard. "You've done so much for my old sitter, Nana Bernardine. It was thanks to you and Judy that the real crooks were caught and all the people they framed could be cleared."

"Well, just answering the call of duty, Sheriff," said Nick.

"It sure is nice to know we have good folks from home keeping law and order in the big city," said Shepard. "Everybody was surprised and awed when Judy became the top of her class at the academy and was assigned to the heart of the city."

He looked at Nick.

"And it's nice to know we have city folk who are just as caring towards our small town as the people who were born and raised here."

Nick didn't know what to say. He smiled and looked at the farmland as Shepard drove down the road towards the Hopps farm.

"I only wish I can be of help," said Nick after a long silence. "I can only imagine what the farmers are going through."

"It is looking pretty bad," said Shepard gravely. "I remember the big black rot wave of 1967. I was a pup running about with my siblings, coming back from school. All the bunny farmers were grief stricken. Old Papa Hopps and his boys did everything they could to help everyone. Everyone pitched in and we managed to make it through the winter. Even the Grays pitched in, and the times couldn't have been less kind to them."

"Yes, I imagine," said Nick, remembering the teller from the bank.

"That's one thing about small towns," said Shepard. "They take much longer to adapt and change their ways than folks in the city do. We tend to hang onto our roots and beliefs much tighter, for better or for worse."

Shepard turned the car and drove down the earthen path of the Hopps family farm. He drove all the way down and stopped near the house. Bonnie and Judy walked out the front door just as Nick and Shepard got out of the car.

"Nick!" said Judy. "Where were you?"

"Sorry to run off like that," said Nick. "I just needed to take care of some business in town."

"Good morning, Mrs Hopps. Judy," said Sheriff Shepard, tipping his hat.

"Good morning, Sheriff Shepard," said the ladies.

"If I'd known Nick was with you, I wouldn't have worried, Sheriff," said Bonnie.

"Don't you fret now, Mrs Hopps, about a thing," said Shepard. "Everything will be alright. We'll all manage to pull through this."

The Sheriff bid them good day and drove off. Nick, Bonnie and Judy all waved goodbye and walked into the house.

"Where did you go?" asked Judy. "And what's with the suitcase?"

"I'll explain shortly," said Nick. "Can I talk to your dad for a moment?"

"He…um…he's in bed."

"Huh?"

"Stu had a little breakdown…a moment ago…" said Bonnie. "I put him to bed, he has a bit of a fever. Penny is giving him some camomile tea. I hope it will help."

"Mrs Hopps," said Nick. "I really need to talk to Mr Hopps. Just for a moment. Please."

"Of course, Nick," said Bonnie, not knowing what else to say.

Judy looked at Nick. That look in his face…she had never seen that look before.

"Nick…" she started, but he was halfway down the hallway already, clutching the suitcase tightly in his paw.

Bonnie and Judy looked sideways at each other and nodded. They followed quietly.

Nick knocked gently on the open door to the Hopps couple's room.

"Come in," said a weak voice.

The fox carefully walked in to find Stu Hopps lying down in bed under a warm quilt. He had a wet towel on his forehead and his daughter Penny, a few years younger than Judy, was giving him spoonfuls of camomile tea.

"Nick," said Stu, weakly but clearly abashed. "I'm truly sorry you had to be around to witness this. I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"Don't say that, Mr Hopps, I'm here for you all in the good times and hard times alike," said Nick.

Penny pulled a chair for her Uncle Nick and he sat down beside Stu's bed.

"I guess the shock just knocked the starch outta me," said Stu, smiling weakly. "Nobody would have believed…"

He fell silent, closing his eyes and shuddering a bit.

"Ahh…sorry."

"Don't apologise, Mr Hopps," said Nick, taking the bunny's paw.

Judy and Bonnie stood outside the doorway listening and watching the scene. They didn't know what to make of it. It all felt so surreal.

"Mr Hopps, I want you to rest easy knowing that you don't have to worry about any obligations with the bank," said Nick awkwardly.

"It's alright, Nick," said Stu. "We'll manage somehow. Maybe we can sell a few acres and…"

"No!" said Nick suddenly.

Everyone went silent, rather shocked at his outburst.

"Mr Hopps, I was never one for emotional displays, but lately I don't know what has been happening to me, but it doesn't matter…the point is, here," said Nick, opening the suitcase.

Bonnie and Judy gasped. Stu's eyes went wide, Penny covered her mouth with her paws.

It was filled to the brim…to the very brim…with _money_.

"Take it and pay your debts and don't you dare say 'I can't take it' because I won't accept 'No' for an answer and I'll leave this money here and run and take the nearest bus to Duckburg or somewhere faraway and not come back until you've used it to pay off your debts and that is all there is to it because you all mean so much to me and I could never even begin to tell you all how much you have changed my life and I love every one of you and there I said it and this is the only way I know of to show you all how much I care in this moment of great need! So there!" said Nick.

There was a stunned silence.

And then came the tears.

"Oh Nick…" Judy was the first to break down.

"That is…so generous of you…" Bonnie followed.

Stu's cheeks cascaded with tears as he hugged Nick, wet towel on his head and all, blubbering like a child with raw emotion.

Nick hugged him back. Then Judy and Bonnie joined in. Penny found a patch of fox to hug as well.

"You bunnies…so emotional," said Nick as the whole room blurred before him with tears that ran freely from his big green eyes and which he made no effort to hold back.

* * *

Stu Hopps was feeling much better the following day. He was up and about and even managed to drive with Judy and Nick to town, to do exactly what Nick had told him to do.

There was a little more cheer in the house now that their father was feeling better and the worries of debt were gone. The little bunnies sat down with Nick in the living room to show him their school work that evening. Nick sat on the floor in front of the coffee table. Judy sat on the sofa behind Nick with her paws on his shoulders, looking over his shoulder at the drawings that her youngest siblings had made at school.

"See? That's you, Uncle Nick, flying and saving the kids from the bad guys," said Kevin, Judy's youngest brother.

"It looks great, Kevin!" said Nick.

"And this is you, Uncle Nick, flying to the top of the tree and picking apples!" said Bianca, showing Nick her crayon drawing.

"Wow," said Nick. "Is that a cape?"

"Yeah! 'Cause you're a superhero, Uncle Nick!" said Bianca, hugging his arm lovingly.

"Aww," said Nick, hugging the sweet little bunny with one arm.

Judy rested her chin on Nick's shoulder, taking a deep breath of his welcoming scent. What he had done for her family, for her father and mother, for her family farm…nothing in this world could ever be enough to repay him for his selfless kindness.

In this time of hardship, he had managed to put a smile on the faces of her dear family once again. He had given them hope when all seemed lost.

Judy's face moved on its own, from sheer emotion. She kissed his cheek sweetly, wishing she could express with her kiss everything she had in her heart. All her gratitude, all her affection…all her love.

Nick inclined his head and nuzzled her cheek with his. They didn't need to speak. Why use words, when what you want to say is so clear?

Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ring.

"I'll get it," said Penny and she crossed the living room and went to the entrance hall.

Soon, they heard the voice of Uncle Terry walking into the house.

"Hi, Uncle Terry!" said everyone.

"Evenin', y'all," said Uncle Terry. "Um…is Stu in?"

"Yep, he's in," said Stu, walking into the room.

"Well, golly gee, I'm glad to see you're feelin' better," said Uncle Terry.

Then, an awkward pause. Judy noticed her uncle was holding something. An envelope. And it looked official, sealed with wax and all.

Stu noticed too.

"Well, whatcha got there, Terry?"

"Um…well, if you don't mind, Stu, I'd like to talk to you and Bonnie…just a minute, I promise," said Uncle Terry.

"Sure, come on into the kitchen, I'll get you something warm to drink," said Stu as he lead Uncle Terry into the kitchen.

Nick kept on looking at the drawings that the young Hoppses showed him. Judy rested her chin on his shoulder once again and, feeling a warm drowsiness, closed her eyes and dozed comfortably close to her beloved fox.

Then, in one of those strange silences that suddenly happen in every home from time to time, Uncle Terry's voice could be heard.

"I've never been offered this much," said Uncle Terry. "It's more money than we've ever earned in our lives. If I sign, they buy the entire farm. In one go. Cash in the bank."

Nick's ears perked up. Suddenly, like a distant memory, he heard voices in his head.

 _"There's been a carrot shortage for almost a week now, Officer."_

 _"Old Hearn's Farm Fresh Produce."_

 _"Business is a dog-eat-dog affair."_

 _"We've been fresh out for a week."_

Like a carpet of fire in his mind, it suddenly came to him.

"Maggie!" said Nick, blurting the first name that came to his mind.

"Yes, Uncle Nick?" said Maggie.

"Do you know where the McCotton farm is?"

"Sure do."

"Um…could you show me?"

Nick fished in his pocket and took out his phone. Judy opened her eyes and suddenly perceived a change in her dear fox's demeanour.

"Are you okay, honey bun?" she asked.

"I am," said Nick distractedly as he searched on Zoogle Maps for a map of Bunny Burrow. "Um…where is the McCotton's farm?"

"Right here, Uncle Nick," said Maggie, pointing at a farm some miles down the road from them. "I know a secret," she said, leaning closer and whispering into Nick's ear. "Charlie McCotton is Penny's boyfriend."

"Maggie," said Penny from across the room, blushing like mad. "He's just my friend."

"He's a boy, and he's your friend, so he's your boyfriend," said Maggie.

The little sisters giggled.

"Sissy stuff," said Kevin, making a face.

"Heh heh," Nick chuckled, but his mind was a whirlwind. "And can you show me the Jones farm?"

"Right here, Uncle Nick," said Maggie, pointing at the farm right beside.

"I see…how about the Mirthworth and Hareington farms?"

Maggie pointed at the two farms right beside, moving up the road towards…

"And this is us!" said Maggie, pointing at the Hopps farm.

"So it is," said Nick.

Just then, Bonnie came into the room to announce bedtime.

"Off to bed now, children," she said with a maternal smile.

"Good night, Uncle Nick!" said all the kids and kissed their uncle (except Kevin, who was content with being patted on his head) before going to bed.

Nick and Judy were left alone in the living room now. Nick was searching something on Zoogle like mad on his phone.

"Old Hearn's…Old Hearn's…"

"Penny for your thoughts, Mr Mysterious?" asked Judy.

"The farms that were bought out…" said Nick. "There's more than one…yes! See?"

He searched on Zoogle for farms that were bought by anyone in the past week. The list was substantial.

"Now…"

He opened Zoogle Maps again and pinpointed the locations of the farms. Then he zoomed out, and…

"Well, I'll be a hippo's leotard," said Nick.

The map showed the locations of the farms that had been bought out. They all formed a line. A line that formed three sides of a square, at the centre of which was Zootopia.

"Bingo!" said Nick.

"What is it?" asked Judy.

"Carrots…come with me."

He stood up, holding Judy's paw in his, and marched towards the kitchen. Stu and Uncle Terry were talking. Bonnie was serving them coffee. There was a paper on the table. An official-looking paper with a signature line at the bottom. It was blank.

"Uncle Terry!" said Nick, walking into the kitchen. "Don't sign anything."

Everyone stopped and looked at Nick. They didn't know what to say. The sudden outburst was totally unexpected.

"They're trying to swindle you," said Nick. "Your farm is worth ten times what they're offering. Someone is cheating people out of their land and forcing them out."

"But Nick…" said Stu. "Um…er…"

"I may not know much about agriculture, but I certainly recognise foul play when I see it," said Nick, grabbing the paper off the table unceremoniously. "And this...Terra Firma Incorporated," said Nick, reading the name off the paper, "is as crooked as they come!"

Judy watched as Nick crumpled the paper in front of everyone and launched it into the wastebasket from across the room, all while still holding her paw. It was pretty impressive, and a little intimidating. Everyone was dead silent.

"Uncle Terry, Mr Hopps, there is no black rot," said Nick. And his next words weighed upon everyone like a bag of lead. "Somebody killed your crops on purpose."

* * *

Wednesday morning was a whirlwind. Nick packed his things neatly in his suitcase. His face was determined. The conversation he had had the night before with Judy and her family lingered in the air.

"But how can someone kill crops without sprinkling any poison or something on them?" Uncle Terry had asked.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out," Nick had responded. "Until then, nobody sell as much as a pawful of dirt to any company, no matter how much they're offering. Someone is trying to take over the farming land all around Zootopia in a three hundred mile radius, and I'm going to find out whom and shut them down if it's the last thing I do."

Judy walked into the guest room just as Nick had finished packing. She said nothing. All she did was walk up to him and hug him tight. Nick hugged her back.

That morning had been a swirl of events.

"Mrs Hopps, do you happen to have any re-sealable bags, like sandwich bags?" Nick had asked Bonnie.

"Why, yes," had been the answer.

Nick had gone outside and picked one of the sickly carrots carefully with the bag and sealed it, pushing out all the air he could. Now the carrot was sitting safely in his suitcase, between his cotton briefs and his blue joggers.

"Nick…I can't even begin to tell you…" Judy started, but Nick put a finger to her lips and silenced her.

"Shh…" he said, bent down closer to her and kissed her.

They kissed for three full minutes before Nick backed away, grabbed his suitcase and took her paw.

"C'mon, Carrots," he said kindly. "Your dad is waiting to drive me to the train station."

The whole family said goodbye to Nick in front of the house.

"We'll miss you, Uncle Nick!"

"Have a safe trip!"

"I'll be back as soon as possible!" said Nick, waving to everyone. "I'll fly back!"

All the little bunnies cheered for him.

"Thank you for everything, Mrs Hopps," said Nick.

"Oh, Nick, I'm the one who should be thanking you," said Bonnie.

"You can thank me when I've sorted this out, dear lady," said Nick. "I'm going to find out what's going on and put a stop to it, or my name isn't Nicholas P. Wilde."

He waved goodbye as he and Judy got into the truck and Stu drove them to the station.

The train was on time. Stu hugged Nick and wished him good trip. Judy kissed him and wished him good luck.

"I'll call you as soon as I arrive, Carrots," said Nick as he said goodbye to Judy.

"I'll be counting the hours," said Judy.

Just as Nick got onto the train and found his seat, Judy noticed someone she had never seen before. A small someone with thick spectacles. A mole, in impeccable business suit.

"Hey pops," whispered Judy to her father. "Do you know him?"

"No," said Stu. "Never seen him in my life."

The mole boarded the train just as it was closing its doors and ready to depart for Zootopia. Judy and Stu waved goodbye to Nick until the train sped out of the station and gathered speed.

And it was gone.


	2. Cop didn't see it

Nick stopped in front of the door of the Forensics Department in the basement corridor of Precinct 1. He listened with a smile on his face.

"Yush, my widdle catalysts! Be vewy good and speed up the desalination for mommy and she'll let you wide in the centwifuge machine."

Nick held a chuckle behind his paw. A cute chemist talking to her reagents. Now he'd seen it all.

"Who's a good widdle liposoluble organic compound? Yush, you are! Yush, you are my pwetty widdle dichlorobenzene phosphate."

Nick knocked gently on the door. Steps were heard crossing the lab. The door opened and a lovely bespectacled figure greeted him.

"Officer Wilde!" said Amber Beverly Latrans, the coyote girl that he and Judy had helped during the incident that folks had dubbed the 'crooked carnival caper'.

She blushed profusely as he walked in, her paws fidgeting with the notepad she was carrying.

"Such a pleasant surprise... I thought you were on leave," said Amber.

"I am. But I needed your help with something," said Nick.

"Oh, anything. Anything at all, Officer Wilde. I'm all yours."

She blushed crimson.

"Um... meaning... I am here to help... in anything... you may require... that I may be of assistance in…"

"I know I can always count on you, Amber," said Nick kindly. "I need you to analyse this for me."

He held up the hermetic bag with the withered carrot he had gotten from the Hopps farm.

"Oh, poor thing!" said Amber, taking the bag in her paw. "I've never seen a carrot look so sad."

"I'd like to know if there's something wrong with it, like a virus or chemical," said Nick. "The farmers say it's black rot, but I have my doubts."

"Sure, leave it to me," said Amber, taking the carrot and putting it into a refrigeration unit behind her. "I'll get to work on it right away. Results maybe tomorrow, afternoonish to evening, give or take a few hours."

"Thank you, Amber," said Nick. "You're the best and you know it."

Amber blushed even deeper crimson and turned around, fidgeting with her paws.

"I'm always here for you, Officer Wilde," said Amber. "Um… meaning… you know where to find me… if you ever need me, you know I'm here, and willing… to help, that is..."

"I do. And I can't thank you enough," said Nick, putting his paw on her shoulder. "It's great to have you on the team."

If there was a hitherto unknown shade of deep crimson, Amber had just invented it. She looked up into Nick's green eyes, barely able to breathe.

"Well, I'd better get going," said Nick.

"Sure," said Amber, walking him to the door. "Um, have a nice day...er, afternoon, as it were, Officer Wilde. I'll call you when I have results."

"Okay. Do you have my number?"

"I got it from Clawhauser. Oops! Um...I mean..." she stammered, very flustered.

"Great! I'll be expecting your call," said Nick with a smile and waved goodbye.

"Goodbye, Officer Wilde!" said Amber. "Stop by anytime."

As Nick walked up the stairs from the basement to the entrance hall, he chuckled to himself.

"I sure hope she keeps a fresh pair of panties in her locker."

* * *

A whiskery old walrus was sitting on a wooden park bench in front of a picnic table, with a chess board ready in front of him. From time to time he took a swig from a hip flask which he kept in his breast pocket.

The walrus looked up and saw someone familiar. A fox in dark blue joggers and a grey hoodie with the letters 'ZPD' printed on the front in blue was walking along the paved park path with a pastry bag in one paw. The fox smiled and waved, approaching the walrus.

"Nicholas Wilde," said the walrus, smiling brightly behind his bushy whiskers.

"Wallace Tuskington," said Nick. "Just the bloke I was looking for."

"How long has it been?"

"Too long," said Nick, sitting down across the table from the walrus.

"Where've you been spending your time, you old pirate? For a while, I thought the earth had swallowed you."

"Ah, you know how it is," said Nick. "Life. You get caught up. But I haven't forgotten you, and I know you haven't forgotten Mollie."

Nick put the pastry bag in front of the walrus named Wallace.

"You shouldn't have," said Wallace. "I mean really."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Your cholesterol and all that," said Nick with a wry smirk. "Whatever. A guy's got the right to his pleasures from time to time."

"You're damn right he does," said Wallace with a grin, taking the pastry bag in his flipper and opening it.

Inside was a delicious-looking chocolate éclair. The walrus took it out and bit the corner, savouring the wonderful creamy pastry.

"Ah, Mollie Moo, that marvellous little minx," said Wallace. "Nobody in town makes 'em like she does. If I were forty years younger…"

"She'd be a widow by now," said Nick teasingly.

"Touché," said Wallace, taking a generous bite of éclair.

"So, Wally. Word on the street is there's a new player in town," said Nick, casually moving the white pawn on the board two spaces forward, starting a new chess match.

"Yeah?" said Wallace, moving his black pawn in response and cramming more éclair into his mouth. "I might have heard a thing or two through the grape vine. Been shaking up the warehouse district, this new kid on the block."

"Yep," said Nick, moving his knight. "Shame about old Capri."

"Poor old devil," said Wallace, moving another pawn. "Went completely berserk. Ain't no more job security for anyone nowadays, I tell you. You work for thirty seven years, give your life's blood to a company, and still they flush you out like you're some college summer jobber, at their whim. Still, doesn't justify what he did."

"Yeah, I was sorry to witness that unfortunate event," said Nick, moving his bishop. "He'll be locked away for quite a while, I'm afraid."

"Sucks to be him," said Wallace, moving his own bishop. "Still, there's plenty of places he could have gone."

"Clayton Cosgrove has always taken care of his employees," said Nick, moving his queen a few spaces. "Good benefits, weekends off, paid vacation…he was an exemplary employer. Doesn't really make sense he'd suddenly be bought out."

"Well, Clayton Cosgrove didn't want to be bought out, from what I heard. More of a… _had_ to be bought out."

"You saying they made him an offer he couldn't refuse?"

"I ain't saying that's what it is," said Wallace, downing the rest of his éclair in one go. "I'm saying that's what I heard."

"Hmm…that makes things a heck of a lot more interesting," said Nick. "Seems like a bit of trouble, this new rich kid on the block."

"Aye, a bit of trouble. About _that_ size."

Wallace jerked his head to the left and Nick turned his eyes in that direction. Above the trees, in the distance, he saw the shining apex of a building. It looked pristine from where they were sitting.

"Pre-fab, they say," said Wallace, moving his rook. "Slapped it together in four months flat, just like building blocks. Tax exemptions could buy a small country. I sure would love to know how those bloody lawyers work their magic. I can't even buy a quart of brandy without dishing out an extra flipperful of dimes."

"Well, they know the law like the pads of their paws and know all the workarounds and loopholes," said Nick, moving his queen.

"If I knew the way around my wife like that, maybe we'd still be together," said Wallace with a wry grin.

"Spilled milk, old friend," said Nick, moving his rook. "No use lingering on it."

Wallace moved his other rook.

"So, that's their headquarters?" asked Nick.

"Yup," said Wallace. "Fancy place, fit for a king, or so I'm told. Topmost office has golden bathroom appliances, from what I heard. Must make warming the seat mighty difficult."

"I'm sure the CEO has his private seat warmer standing ready at all times," joked Nick, moving his queen. "Anything else?"

"Naw, that's about it," said Wallace.

"Aww, too bad. Because I came prepared," said Nick.

From out of nowhere, he suddenly produced another pastry bag and put it on the side of the chess board.

"You really do want to kill me, don't you, Nick?" said Wallace chuckling as he took the bag in his flippers.

"Naw, if I'd wanted to off you, I'd have brought you Mollie's strawberry pound cake. That would really give your arteries a pounding."

"Fair enough. You know, I just might have that the day before my funeral," said Wallace as he took a second éclair out of the pastry bag and took an enormous bite.

"Well, don't make it too soon, alright?" said Nick. "I might still need your help in a not-too-distant future. You can never have too many allies in my line of work."

"Well, you just keep bringin' the good stuff, then," said Wallace, chomping down the rest of his éclair. "And say 'Howdy' to Mollie for me."

"Will do," said Nick, getting up. "I'm gonna go and have a little snoop around the new kid's backyard. See if I pick up anything."

"Suit yourself," said Wallace. "Hope to see you around more often, although I reckon my cardiologist would disapprove."

"Don't they all," said Nick, walking to the end of the picnic table. "Oh, and Wally?"

"Yeah?"

"Checkmate."

Wallace looked at the chess board. Nick's white rook, queen, bishop and knight had his black king surrounded. Any move the king made would be futile.

"Why, you son of a…"

But Nick was already halfway across the park, heading towards the commercial district. Even so, he could hear the walrus's hearty laughter in the distance.

* * *

The building Nick stood before was huge. Opulent was perhaps the better word. Its forty floors shone with pristine windows and the front entrance was at the end of a long stretch of courtyard, complete with a fountain in the middle and benches to sit and relax.

"Not one for subtlety, this Terra Firma, Inc."

He suddenly saw three huge grizzly bear security guards approaching. He walked away and hid behind some shrubs, watching closely. A small mole with thick glasses walked between the guards. And beside him…

"Hmmm…"

Dressed in spotless business suit, with an expensive tie and golden watch, walked…a _rabbit_.

"I assure you, Mr President, sir, that the matter shall be taken care of promptly and effectively," quavered the mole as he walked, fidgeting with his paws. "I shall personally attend to the matter."

"I hope so, Jenkins," said the rabbit in a tone so haughty and high-and-mighty that Flintheart Glomgold would have been jealous of it. "My patience wears thin, and you know what happens when my patience is tried."

"Yes, Mr President, sir," said the mole.

An elegant black car stopped at the front of the building. The president and the mole got into the car, all the while escorted by the thuggish grizzly bear bodyguards.

"Somehow, I doubt taking care of 'business' involves signing papers and relocating assets," said Nick to himself as he walked away from the building.

* * *

It was eight o'clock at night when Nick finally came back to his apartment building. He had spent the day walking around gathering information from his sources.

He took his keys out and opened the door to his apartment.

"Well, time to call the bunny lord and tell her I'm back home," said Nick, taking out his phone.

But he didn't have a chance to dial one digit when someone jumped onto his shoulders and hugged him from behind. Someone small and fuzzy and warm…

"No need for that, Mr Wilde," said a familiar voice behind him. "If you wanna talk, I'm right here."

Nick turned around to see Judy, standing before him with a bright smile on her face.

"Carrots!" he said, embracing her with genuine surprise and delight. "When…how…"

"There's this invention called a 'bus' that people discovered," said Judy. "And I happened to catch the last one. Slower than a train, but it gets the job done. I'm here, aren't I?"

"That you are," said Nick, taking her paw. "Come on in, let me get you something to drink."

Judy sat at the kitchen table with Nick, sipping carrot juice from her family farm, which Nick had become very fond of and purchased at the grocery corner. Nick sat down beside Judy and showed her everything he had discovered so far, bringing her up to speed with everything.

"So this is the list of farms that were purchased by Terra Firma Incorporated in the last month," said Nick. "And it's not just farms. Warehouses here in Zootopia, a fleet of trucks…remember old Cosgrove and the incident with the goat, Mr Capri?"

"Yup."

"Well, Cosgrove was bought out by Terra Firma, Inc. And they sacked everyone overnight," said Nick. "No wonder Capri was so upset. He had worked for Cosgrove for 37 years."

"So this Terra Firma, they're slowly purchasing the farming land and warehouse spaces. Ten to one they'll be moving to retail space next," said Judy.

Nick nodded.

"How did you notice, Nick?"

"If there's something I've learned in my life, Carrots, it's this: When something sounds too good to be true, it's because it's not true," said Nick. "And if something sounds too shady, it's because it is."

Nick pointed at the map on his computer screen. He had drawn a line connecting the farms purchased by Terra Firma, Inc.

"They want to monopolise the land three hundred miles around," said Nick. "And who knows what's next. Industrialise, change farmland into factories...he who owns the land owns the people, an old adage says."

He looked at Judy.

"And it's up to us to keep this from happening."

He closed his fist and lifted it. Judy grinned and did the same, and they shared a fist-bump.

"Amen to that, brother!" said Judy. "Hopps and Wilde are on the case!"

Nick's tummy suddenly rumbled.

"Well, seems like someone decided to voice his opinion," said Nick.

Judy suddenly had a thought.

"You're not sleepy, are you?" she said.

"Not in the least," said Nick.

"Good!" said Judy, standing up. "Movie night! You and I! And a big tub of yummy popcorn and some soft drinks. On the bunny!"

Nick could only say 'Yes'.

* * *

It was close to midnight when Judy and Nick walked out of the cinema, chattering happily.

"I'm so glad you introduced me to the film, Carrots. Now I'll have to go and watch the previous ones on Newtflix."

"See, I told you you'd love it!" said Judy. "Although I will say, those special effects at the end looked like they were made on a Carrot II Computer in 1983 by a third grader!"

"Yes! And that's why we love it!" laughed Nick. "So much cornball and cheese if you drop it in hot oil, you'd have cheddar popcorn."

Judy laughed heartily.

"And the villian's voice acting, so hokey it's Racso-worthy!"

"I know, right!" giggled Judy. "It totally deserves an award just for being entertaining. Can you believe _Hindentanic_ won like eight awards? I'd be hard-pressed to think of a more boring film."

"Oh, don't even get me started," chuckled Nick. "You wanna talk about an endurance round? _Hindentanic_ was insufferable! Now you were six years old when that film came out, so you probably watched it later on video at home."

"Yup, my oldest sister rented it and we all sat down to watch it," said Judy.

"Well, at least you could pause the movie and go get a snack from the kitchen," said Nick. "I watched it at the theatre, when it came out and people wouldn't shut up about it. After the third hour I was like 'Oh for heaven's sake, just sink already, please!'"

Judy laughed mirthfully as she held Nick's waist, burying her face into his side, inhaling his lovely scent. He smelt so nice, like cologne and masculine virility. She took a deep breath of his wonderful aroma as they crossed the street and headed towards the park.

"So, tell me, Carrots," said Nick as they sat down on a park bench.

"About what?"

"Why did you really come all the way from your hometown all of a sudden?" asked Nick, putting his arm around her shoulder and pulling her a little closer.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you, slick?" said Judy with a raised eyebrow.

"No…but it's so much fun when you do."

Judy smiled and went quiet. Her expression changed. She hugged his waist snugly as her cheek brushed lightly against his chest.

"I just…needed to be with you, Nick."

She held his paw, fondling it softly.

"These past days have been…very emotional. For all of us."

Nick nuzzled the top of her head with his nose softly.

"We shared so much," said Judy. "I just…really needed you, honey bun."

Judy looked up into his eyes.

"I just really, really wanted to come."

Nick narrowed his eyes and looked at her with that teasing expression she knew so well. Then she realised it.

"You… _rascal_!" she said, slapping him playfully on the chest.

"Hey, I didn't say it! You did," said Nick laughing.

"You absolutely shameless cad!" laughed Judy.

"Heh-hey! I didn't say anything at all!"

They laughed for a while and then went silent again. Judy moved up onto Nick's lap and straddled him, resting her head against his chest and closing her eyes. Nick hugged her lovingly, feeling the soft fuzzy warmth of his beloved bunny close to him. She was so precious. In every way.

"What you did for my family, Nick..." said Judy, "…and how you put a smile on dad's face when all seemed so bleak…"

She opened her eyes and gazed at him.

"We could never, ever thank you enough... _I_ could never, ever thank you enough for what you did for us. You saved our farm, and you brought joy to my family... you've done so much for us..."

"Hey, that's what we're here for, right?" said Nick smiling. "To help each other, through thick and thin."

Judy's eyes were damp. A small tear dripped from her left eye.

"Aww, sweetheart," said Nick, taking his handkerchief and wiping her tear gently, stroking the back of her ears softly with his warm paw. "I think we've shed enough eye-water for one week, myself included."

Judy giggled as her paws caressed his cheeks lovingly. Her purple eyes gazed up into his emerald irises.

"I always took you for the life-hardened 'no tears allowed – boys don't cry' kind of guy, Nick. But it seems you manage to surprise me every time I think I've learnt all there is to know about you."

Nick held her chin gently in his warm paw, nuzzling her nose with his.

"You'll find that there is much to learn about me, sunshine," said Nick with a kind, paternal gaze.

"Well, you'll have to fill me in one of these days, won't you, Mr Wilde?" said Judy giggling.

"You know, the fact that you said those two phrases so close within context," said Nick. "I'm afraid I'll have to sit you down on my lap and we're going to have to have 'the talk', little lady."

"What? You're going to teach me about the birds and the bees?" said Judy, sliding up higher on his lap, hugging him around the neck and looking into his eyes. "Well, I'm all for it, handsome. But I will have you know, Mr Wilde…"

She leaned seductively closer to him.

'…that I've always been more of an _empirical_ learner."

"Well, in that case, Miss Hopps, I shall have to humour you, shan't I?"

Their lips came together in a warm kiss. They locked in a tight embrace as their lips savoured the succulent feeling of raw physical affection.

And then came a BOOM! And a rain of shattered glass noise!

Judy and Nick bolted up, their moment totally disrupted. Across the street, a window was shattered and fire blazed from it. And someone was lying on the sidewalk.

"What?!"

Automatically, their cop instincts kicked in. They rushed to the scene.

"Fire department!" Judy hastily shouted into her phone. "This is Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD! Explosion on 643 Hashengu Street! Paramedics required!"

She hung up and saw Nick holding someone in his arms. Someone her size.

"He's not breathing!" said Nick, putting the small someone down on the grass of the park just across the street from the building in flames.

Judy realised it was an otter. He looked like he had been caught in the explosion and blasted out the window. Nick started to administer CPR.

"Come one, hang in there, don't you die on me, buddy!" said Nick as he pumped the otter's chest.

And then, out of the corner of her eye…Judy spotted him!

"Nick!" she said. "It's that _mole_!"

A small mole in dark clothes and big spectacles was walking fast into an alley across the street.

"It's him!"

Nick looked up at her. She looked at him. They nodded in complete understanding.

Judy raced off after the mole while Nick continued to give the otter cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

She pulled out her phone and ran down the alley, filming the chase. She arrived at the other end just in time to see the mole getting into a big black car. The car drove slowly away. As Judy got to the end of the alley and onto the sidewalk, she followed the car on foot for half a block. And suddenly, she saw a familiar face…

"Flash," she said.

Flash Slothmore, Nick's friend from the DMV, was walking towards a bodega…very slowly. On the curb, behind him, was his car.

Judy's mind raced at top speed. By the time she asked him if it was okay, the black car that had picked up the mole would be out of sight. And surely he wouldn't mind. After all…he was Nick's friend…

Very quick and quietly, careful to stash her phone in her pocket, Judy ran up to Flash's car and got in. Luckily, the sloth had left the key inside.

"Sloth didn't see it, I didn't do it," said Judy as she started the car. "I'm not stealing…just borrowing."

She stepped on the accelerator and the car jumped forward like it had been sitting on a spring!

"WHOA!" said Judy, breaking and slowing down as she got the hang of the car, pursuing her target. "Does this thing run on rocket fuel or what?"

The license plate wasn't FST NML for nothing.

Judy chased after the black car from a safe distance. It was a bit difficult because the car was meant for a slightly larger animal, but she managed. She took her phone out once again and filmed the black car, trying to zoom in on the license plate while at the same time keeping the car steady.

The black car turned a corner, drove straight two blocks…and turned another corner…

"Where are you going, Mr Mole?" Judy said through her teeth.

Suddenly, she noticed the street light turn yellow and the black car stepped on the gas to beat the light.

"Oh no, you don't!"

She shot after the black car, but it was too late. The black car crossed, the light turned red…and a large delivery truck crossed her path!

Judy slammed the brakes, screeching to a halt! She stopped a foot away from the delivery truck, which slammed the brakes too to avoid the collision.

"WATCH IT, ROAD HOG!" shouted the angry driver, a large pig.

Judy cursed under her breath. She had lost the black car. As she waited for the light to turn green again, Judy checked the video on her phone. She managed to film the mole and get a good look at the car, licence plate included. So it wasn't a total loss.

Judy brought the car back to the spot where she had taken it from and quietly hopped out. And just as she did, Flash was opening the door to the bodega, walking out with a bag of groceries in his clawed paw, with a placid smile on his face, none the wiser.

"Well…for once, being a sloth worked out for the better," said Judy to herself as she walked briskly through the alley on her way back to Nick.

She arrived at the scene to find the fire fighters controlling the flames. The elephant fire fighters used their trunks as portable water hoses and soon the fire was tamed.

Judy noticed an ambulance across the street, two paramedics and someone in a stretcher. And beside them was…

"Nick!"

Nick was talking to the paramedics, holding the paw of the otter on the stretcher. The otter's eyes were open!

"Will he be alright?" asked Nick to the paramedics.

"Yes, he's out of danger now. Off to Euripides Mouse Memorial, we'll patch him up. If it hadn't been for you, Officer, he wouldn't have made it."

As Judy approached them, the otter held Nick's paw tightly, trying to talk. Judy could see from his mouth what he was trying to say.

"Thank you…thank you…"

"You're gonna be alright, okay?" said Nick. "Hang in there, sport. You're going to be alright."

The paramedics lifted the otter into the ambulance and closed the doors. Then they drove away as Nick stood there watching, with Judy beside him holding his arm tightly.

* * *

The Euripides Mouse Memorial Hospital was a warm and welcoming place by hospital standards. The reception lobby was ample, decorated with tapestry depicting a mouse in a toga pulling a thorn out of a lion's paw. The image was simple, but Judy felt that the meaning was deep and very important.

As Nick knocked lightly on the door of room 352, causing the bouquet of roses he was holding in his arm to shake a bit, Judy looked around her at the pleasant pictures on the walls and vases of flowers at every corner. Certainly nicer than the drab linoleum and wallpaper she had come to associate with hospitals.

The nurse, a kind-looking beaver lady, opened the door.

"Officers," she said. "You can come in. I've just finished adjusting his intravenous."

"Thank you, Nurse," said Nick.

Judy held his paw tightly as they walked in. A lovely room with an ample window met their eyes, with a picture of a little house with a watermill beside a river on the wall. And on the bed, smiling and looking at them with gratitude, was the otter that Nick had saved the night before.

"Rise and shine, sport," said Nick, walking to the side of the bed.

"Officer Wilde," said the otter with a warm smile.

"Hope you like red roses," said Nick, placing them in a vase on the bedside table. "They're cliché but effective, so I'm told."

Judy stood beside Nick with a smile of relief on her face. She was glad the otter was out of danger. The otter reached with his IV-free paw and held Nick's paw warmly.

"You saved my life," said the otter. "I cannot ever thank you enough for what you've done for me."

"Just doing what any good citizen would do," said Nick.

"I was doing my rounds, everything was quiet, and then suddenly it all went black and there was a deafening sound…and then I woke up and saw you. And there were fire fighters everywhere."

Judy gathered that he was a security guard at the building where the explosion had taken place.

The otter turned his head to Judy.

"Officer Hopps," said the otter. "So glad to meet you at last. You've done so much for my family and I never got the chance to thank you personally. I wish it could have been under different circumstances."

"Always happy to help," said Judy brightly, wondering what the otter had meant by 'his family'. She didn't remember meeting this otter before. "That's what we're here for. Mister…?"

"Otterton," said the otter. "James Otterton."

Judy's eyes opened wide when she heard the surname. And just then, the door to the room opened. And in walked…

"Jimmy!"

Judy turned around to see Mr Emmitt Otterton and his wife, and the two Otterton boys, walking in. Then she realised it: James Otterton, Emmitt Otterton's brother.

The Otterton family entered the room and Mr Otterton hugged his brother with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Oh Jimmy, when I heard…"

"I'm alright now, Mitt. And the two officers standing next to me are the ones to thank," said James.

"Oh, Officer Wilde," said Mr Otterton, turning to them. "How can I ever thank you? You and Officer Hopps just keep saving my family and loved ones. You truly are our guardian angels."

"Aww, shucks, Mr Otterton," said Nick. "Just doing our duty."

They all exchanged hugs. Mr and Mrs Otterton hugged Judy and Nick, the Otterton children did the same. It was a very emotional reunion.

After lots of thanks and hugs, the Otterton children gave their uncle the get-well cards they had made. James Otterton smiled and stroked the heads of his dear nephews as the whole family gave thanks for his safety.

Nick gave Judy a glance, and she understood.

"Well, we'll be on our way now," said Judy. "It's so good to see you in good paws, Mr Otterton."

"Officers, thank you once more," said James. "From all of us. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough."

"You can thank me by getting lots of rest and sampling some of the first-class food they serve in this hospital," said Nick with a wink. "I hear the applesauce is deee-licious."

"Will do, Officer," said James. "Thank you once again."

Nick and Judy said goodbye to the Ottertons, who all thanked them once more.

The duo walked out of the room, down the corridor and into the elevator. Judy pressed the button and shortly the door opened with a pleasant 'ding!' and they walked into the lift.

As they stood in the elevator, Nick's expression changed, from his warm smile to a look of sheer determination.

"I'm all ears, Carrots," he said.

"Heh, that's my line, slick," said Judy with a sideways grin.

Nick couldn't help chuckling as Judy took out her phone and showed him what she had recorded the previous night.

* * *

Chief Bogo rested his chin on his steepled hooves. He watched the video for a third time before saying anything.

"And this…mole…was in both crime scenes…?"

"Yes," said Judy. "Well…one crime scene and the other suspected crime scene."

"Or both suspected crime scenes," said Bogo roughly.

Nick sat in silence beside Judy as she stood on the chair with her phone in front of Chief Bogo, showing him what she had recorded.

"We have to look into this, Chief," said Judy. "If we don't, there could be more crimes..."

"Or accidents," said Bogo, moving his hoof to the side of his desk and picking up a newspaper. On the cover of the paper, the headline read: GAS LEAK EXPLOSION BLOWS GROCERY STORE SKY HIGH.

"Gas leak!?" said Judy.

"That's what the papers are sticking to," said Bogo. "And that's what the press will be sticking to. And by tomorrow, the headline will be different, maybe some brighter one like 'Finalists for Miss Zootopia Speak Up' or something daft like that."

"Chief…we have to look into this!" said Judy.

Bogo sighed deeply and spoke slowly.

"I know exactly how this is going to play out, Hopps," said Bogo. "We'll show them this recording, they'll say there is no evidence to suggest that the mole had anything to do with the explosion. He was probably running away in fear. It will be dismissed. Then the very next day, a very angry telegram will arrive from the lawyer of the distinguished President of Terra Firma Incorporated. He will be pursuing legal action for defamation. Whoever suggested his involvement in the explosion will have to retract her or himself, and that's where it will all end."

Judy was thunderstruck. But it was true. She and Nick knew that they had nothing. The enemy held all the aces.

"I wish it weren't this way, Hopps," said Bogo. "But that is the way things are. This conversation can serve no further purpose. You are excused."

Judy and Nick knew that when Bogo said those words, there was nothing further to discuss. They hopped off their chair and walked to the door.

"Hopps."

They turned around and once again saw Bogo with that unreadable expression that was somewhere between empathy and pity, two adjectives that we as far removed from the persona of Chief Bogo as possible.

"Some enemies cannot be taken down by conventional means," said Bogo. "This isn't some street burglar or bank robber. If what you say is true, and for the record, I believe that you are right about what you suspect…these people are well-connected and cover their tracks. If you're going to investigate this case, do so from the shadows. Do not expose yourself. Understand?"

Judy and Nick looked at each other and then at Bogo, and nodded.

"And that goes for you too, Wilde," said Bogo. "These people know how to cover their tracks. And you must do the same. I don't want to be the one to fish your bodies out of the bay because you weren't careful enough. I don't want to be the one to have to write letters of condolences to your families. Truth be told, I was never very good at writing letters."

Bogo stood up and walked around the desk towards the door. He opened the door for them and spoke in a low tone.

"As far as I'm concerned, we never had this conversation. And you two are on leave, gone dancing or parkouring or whatever it is you youngsters do nowadays," said Bogo. "But if you are right about this…just know that I am behind you one hundred percent."

They all looked at each other and nodded in complete understanding.

"Now clear off," said Bogo. "It's too wonderful of a day to be stuck indoors."

* * *

Judy's apartment was the closest. By two blocks, at any rate.

"It smells like a cover-up to me," said Judy over the tap-tapping of her keyboard as she Zoogled the news. "The grocery store that was attacked…Madame Mildred's One-Stop Shop."

She Zoogled Madame Mildred's. It had been around since the 1920's.

"I'll bet you a bucket of blueberries and an apple that she refused to sell out to Terra Firma, and this explosion was a consequence."

Nick nodded as he watched her work, standing beside her chair with his paws lightly on her shoulders.

"It's too big of a coincidence," said Judy as she Zoogled Terra Firma, Inc, and brought up several articles.

"There are no coincidences," said Nick. "Only connections."

"Right, and that mole is definitely connected," said Judy, clicking on a video in her results list.

The title of the video was 'President of Terra Firma, Inc. inaugural speech.'

Judy watched as Mayor Mousawitz spoke a few words and then introduced the President of the Company. And then…she almost fell back.

"He…he's a… _rabbit_!"

And so it was. The rabbit's name appeared at the bottom caption: Preston Keyes, President of Terra Firma Incorporated.

Judy watched with her jaw open as the president delivered a silky speech with an oily voice and captivated the press. He had them eating out of his paw. The video ended and Judy turned to Nick.

"Did…did you know?"

Nick nodded.

"But…why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it mattered," said Nick.

"Didn't matter?!" blurted Judy. "Nick, what do you mean…?"

"Judy…"

She stopped. Her heart skipped a beat. She blushed. Nick only called her by her name when he was serious, very serious with nary an atom of playfulness or snark.

"It doesn't matter who he is. What matters is what he's doing, and the people he is hurting," said Nick slowly. "You grew up with sheep all your life. They're kind and fluffy and helpful. Totally harmless. And yet, who was behind the night howler debacle?"

A smiling bespectacled face came to Judy's mind. A cute, fluffy bespectacled and benevolent face…which turned out to be the mastermind behind the biggest crime in Zootopian history, one that almost tore the city apart.

"You grew up believing foxes were untrustworthy, conniving and mean brutes," said Nick. "And yet…"

He fell silent. Judy stood up and hugged him tight, pressing her face into his chest and inhaling his lovely, welcoming scent.

"Oh Nick….I'm so sorry…"

Nick hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head. Then his smooth, cheeky smile returned.

"Aww, come on, don't get all weepy with me, Carrots," he said jovially. "We got a case to solve and a villain to bring to his knees."

Judy sniffled and wiped two little tears on Nick's shirt.

"Come one, deep breath…there, let it go slowly…let's see that bunny smile…show me those teeth," said Nick as he held up Judy's chin in his paw, "come on, let's see a big grin with those bunny chompers…there you go! That's better."

Judy smiled and giggled, still hugging him warmly.

"Okay, Little Miss Bunny Lord," said Nick. "What's our next move?"

Judy let go and turned around, closing her computer and taking her keychain off the table. On her keychain was a portable flash drive shaped like a carrot. She waved it in her fingers.

"We're going to head downtown and do some research."

"Hmm…" said Nick. "Does this 'research' involve obtaining information by methods of questionable legality?"

Judy's grin couldn't be any broader.

"Absolutely."

* * *

The reception lobby of Terra Firma Incorporated was almost like a museum. There were small exhibits showing agricultural devices from ancient times, modern equipment, model farms where everything was automated…and perhaps most distasteful, a 12-foot statue of President Preston Keyes himself, standing smack in the middle of the room.

Judy and Nick walked into the reception lobby. But nobody who had known them for any length of time would have recognised them. Judy was wearing a shawl around her head, ears tucked in, and dark glasses. Nick was wearing dark glasses, a straw hat, and his farmer outfit he had worn in Bunny Burrow, straw between his teeth and all.

"I reckon this is what they call 'scientific farmin' 'quipment' or something fancy like that," said Nick, purposefully slurring his speech as he and Judy moved from one exhibit to the next.

"Fancy schmancy! Ain't nothin' like a hoe to bring up the earth an' good seeds to make good crops," said Judy.

There were few people in the lobby. Nobody took any notice of them. Just as they reached the 'Farm of the Future' exhibit, Judy glanced to her right and saw a door that led to the office area.

"Okay…" she whispered. "As soon as nobody is looking."

"Alright…now!" whispered Nick.

Judy carefully opened the door as Nick walked in front of her, and disappeared behind it. Nick stood in front of the 'Our Forefathers' exhibit and pretended to be interested, all the while keeping careful watch behind his dark glasses.

Judy took her glasses off and hung them on her shirt collar. She was in a long hallway. An umbrella basket stood to her left, beside a door that read RESTRICTED.

"Well, best place to begin," she said and carefully opened the door.

She walked into a room with several large computers. At the far end there was a desk, with a regular desktop computer running. Nobody was in sight. Silently, Judy tiptoed towards the computer and moved the mouse, making the screen saver go away and showing the desktop.

"Okay. Here goes."

She searched the files for anything that could be useful. For about three minutes, she browsed, all the while glancing towards the door in case someone should walk in.

Finally, she found what she was looking for.

"Acquisitions," she whispered to herself.

It was an entire folder, chock full of files.

"Alright. In and out," she said, taking her keychain and plugging her flash drive to the computer.

She gave the COPY command, and the files started copying.

10%...20%…

"Come on…"

"40%...45%...

"Come on, come on…"

64%...68%...

"Hurry up, please…"

70%...74%...

Suddenly, she heard the doorknob turn. Judy ducked under the desk, barely daring to breathe. She heard steps, loud clopping steps, like hooves. They walked around the room, stopped in front of some of the mainframe computers…then left the room.

Judy sighed. Very carefully, she peeked over the desk. The room was empty. And the screen read 99%.

Three more seconds…and 100%!

"Bingo!" whispered Judy as she unplugged her flash drive, pocketed it and tiptoed back to the door, listening carefully for any footsteps at the door. Not a mouse stirred.

She opened the door a crack. Empty corridor. She sidled out the room and started to walk towards the exit. She was right beside the umbrella basket…when…

"Hey!"

Judy froze. Someone had seen her!

"Hey! You!"

Judy's mind raced and she acted immediately. She quickly put her dark glasses on, and snatched an umbrella from the basket and started tap-tapping the floor with the end of it, putting her other paw in front of her.

"Miss! You can't be in here!" said a voice, walking closer to her.

"Huh? Is that you, Clyde?" said Judy loudly, feeling around in the air with her paw and umbrella.

"Miss, this is…" said the voice, and suddenly stopped.

Judy turned around clumsily, pretending she couldn't see anything. But behind her dark glasses, she saw exactly who it was. A mole was standing in front of her, with a surprised expression on his face. A mole in thick glasses, wearing an impeccable business suit.

"Um…Miss…" said the mole hesitantly, realising why she had probably gotten in here. "This is a restricted area."

"Restricted? How is a gal supposed to go to the ladies' room if it's restricted?"

"Um…the ladies' room is on the other side of the lobby, Miss," said the mole. "Come on, I'll show you to the lobby."

"It ain't likely you can show me anything, mister," said Judy, tap-tapping with her umbrella.

"Please, if you will. Allow me to help."

The mole took her arm and led her out. He was gentle. Judy hadn't expected that. But she gave away nothing, she used her acting skills to pretend she had no idea where she was.

"Doggone modern buildings! Confusticate and conflatigrate all! Why can't y'all make buildings like you used to? Ladies' room is back and to the left! Everyone knows that!"

"I am sorry, dear lady," said the mole, genuinely apologetic. "I am glad I found you before security did."

Nick was waiting outside in the lobby, feeling increasingly nervous. The door to the office area opened, and Nick saw Judy being escorted by the mole. He saw her acting and immediately knew what had happened. He played along.

"Susan Eleanor Cottonbottom! I've been looking all over for you!" said Nick sternly, his paws on his hips. "Haven't I told you a hundred times not to wander off by yerself!? If your ma found out I let you out of my sight, she'd tan my hide!"

"Is that you, Clyde? Where you scoot off to?" said Judy.

"Oh, you silly ol' thing!" said Nick, taking Judy's paw.

Then he turned to the mole.

"Much obliged, pardner," said Nick. "I do declare, this bunny gets more and more scatterbrained by the hour."

"Your marbles are more scattered than mine, Clyde, that's if you can find 'em at all," retorted Judy.

"Come on now, Missy, ma will be waitin' for us," said Nick, tugging her away and towards the front door.

"I need to go to the ladies' room, ya silly oaf!" said Judy. "That's how I got meself lost in the first place!"

"Confounded bunnies! They can't never hold their water for more 'an twenty minutes," said Nick, turning back and heading towards the ladies' room.

The mole was still standing there, watching the two.

"Much obliged, Mr Mole!" said Nick, giving him a pawshake as he walked by.

"Ah, Jenkins," said the mole, shaking Nick's paw. "George Jenkins."

"Much obliged, Mr Jenkins," said Nick, taking mental note.

Nick led Judy to the ladies' room. The mole, George Jenkins, after seeing that everything was in order, walked back to the office area, disappearing through the door.

Nick waited until Judy came out again. Then he pretended to guide her outside the front door.

Judy and Nick walked out of the building, pantomiming all the way, until they reached the corner of the block. Then they looked around to see if anyone was watching, and broke into a brisk walk.

"Did you get it?" asked Nick.

"Right here, Clyde," said Judy, waving her carrot-shaped flash drive triumphantly in her fingers.

"Sly bunny," said Nick with a grin. "I think I know exactly where our next stop is."

"There could be no other," said Judy.

* * *

Judy pushed open the door painted with a 'Radioactive' sign. The sight that met her eyes was a familiar one, and yet it was no less impressive. Countless old computers and equipment piled haphazardly on tables and workbenches. As she and Nick walked in, Judy called out.

"Garth! I know you're in there!"

No answer.

"Garth?"

"Aw, c'mon! He's not even _touching_ the fool!"

A loud voice came from the far end of the maze of junk. Nick smirked as he led Judy through the junk heaps and they finally saw him.

Garth O' Possum, Nick's hacker friend, was sitting in an old armchair in front of a huge television set, eating cereal puffs and watching WZW and apparently completely into it.

"Yes! Yes! A stunner! Go for the stunner!"

The beefy horse on the television made an impressive wrestling move and knocked his opponent to the ground.

"Pin him down! Come on ref! Countdown!" shouted Garth. "YES! YEES!"

"Um…hi Garth!" said Judy.

The opossum almost jumped out of his overalls! He spun around and quickly lifted his paw and paused the programme with his remote control.

"Hey!" said Garth. "Officer Hopps! And Nick! Long time no see, you guys!"

"Sorry to interrupt," said Judy.

"Naw, no worries! Just watching a re-run of when 'Stoat Cold' Steed Austin beat the snot out of Drake the Snake," said Garth. "It's my favourite match!"

"I had no idea you were into wrestling," said Judy.

"Oh, I've been a fan all my life!" said Garth, getting up from his armchair. "Stoat Cold is my all time favourite Wild Zootopian Wrestling champ."

Garth pulled up a couple of chairs for them, which were camouflaged among the junk piles.

"So, what can I do you for?" asked Garth.

"We have a little something we'd like you to look into," said Nick.

Judy gave him her carrot flash drive.

"Well, let's see what we got here, mine Thanes and Kinsmen henceforth be Earls," said Garth, walking to his main computer.

Judy and Nick followed their friend as he sat in front of his main computer and plugged the flash drive in.

He tapped some keys and brought up a screen.

"Hmm…" said Garth. "Some pretty heavy encryption you've got here. I take it this didn't come from a ninth grader's school project?"

"Um, not exactly," said Judy, looking sideways at Nick, who winked at her.

"Well, I could crack into this in a jiffy," said Garth. "But…"

He paused and turned around in his chair, looking directly at them.

"I'm afraid there is no way for me to do this without crossing into the…erm… _legally questionable._ And I do mean very, veeeery questionable."

Judy gave him a wink.

"Cop didn't see it, you didn't do it," she said.

"That's my gal!" said Garth, taking a compact disc from a drawer to his left.

He loaded the disc into the disc drive and tapped some keys. A progress bar appeared and the files started to decrypt.

"This will take a few minutes," said Garth. "In the meantime, do you want something to drink? I think there's some orange juice and pop somewhere to your left."

"Ah, that's okay, Garth. We're good," said Judy.

Suddenly, Nick's phone rang. He took it out and looked at the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?" said Nick, answering.

"Oh! Officer Wilde!" said a breathless voice on the other end. "Um…I'm so glad it worked! I often get numbers mixed up. But anyway…I have the results! Of your carrot! If you can stop by the lab, I'll show you everything!"

Awkward pause.

"Um…everything I found out…about the carrot…and the results… and all that…"

"I'll be right over," said Nick, hanging up.

"Wooo! Where do you find them, Nick?" said Garth as he played a brick puzzle game on a portable game system.

"Actually…they kinda find me," said Nick, giving Judy a teasing smile.

Judy fake-punched him and giggled.

"I gotta go to the station for a bit," said Nick. "I'll be back as soon as possible!"

"I'll call you when we crack these files," said Judy.

"Be back before lunch, Nick!" said Garth. "It's Taco Thursday!"

"Um…isn't it supposed to be Taco Tuesday?" asked Nick.

"That's on Tuesdays. Taco Thursday is on Thursdays."

"Umm, oh yeah. Your logic is sound," said Nick, walking to the door and up the basement stairs. "See you in a bit!"

* * *

Nick knocked softly on the door of the Forensics Department. It was an hour before noon. They were making good progress.

Amber opened the door, blushed and flustered as usual.

"Officer Wilde!" said Amber. "So glad you're here! I managed to finish on your carrot!"

Awkward pause.

"Um…meaning…I finished working…on the sample…of the carrot…you left, for study, and the results are in…and I'd like you to have a look…at the results, that is."

"Awesome, Amber," said Nick kindly. "Let's see those results."

He walked in and Amber led him to her computer in the corner which was sitting on her neatly-arranged desk. Very different from Garth's place.

"Technically, there's nothing wrong with the carrot, Officer Wilde," said Amber, sitting daintily in her computer chair and softly tapping the keys with her soft fingers, her legs folded under the chair and her tail curled to her side. "No chemical poisoning, no virus. It should be healthy and edible. Except it isn't."

"So…it died of natural causes?"

"No," said Amber. "And that's the perplexing bit."

She pulled up an image with several chemical formulas in tiny print. It looked like an extreme zoom-in of a paper-thin wedge of the carrot.

"The carrot died of nitrogen depletion," said Amber. "Meaning it has almost no nitrogen in its tissue. The proteins in its cells fell apart and died from lack of the essential component of its amino acids."

Amber spun in her chair to face Nick.

"Imagine if you couldn't repair your body after a long day, Officer Wilde. You worked long hours and went home to rest, but instead of repairing your tissues during the night, as the body normally does, those tissues remained damaged and you eventually became so damaged that you collapsed, unable to repair yourself. Well, that's what happened to this poor carrot."

Nick listened carefully.

"This kind of thing would happen naturally if the carrot was planted in poor soil depleted of nutrients because of overcultivation. But that's definitely not the case. The farmers in Bunny Burrow would never allow that. It's as if someone somehow impoverished the land overnight, but it's very hard to believe anyone could do that."

"Hmm…" said Nick. "Impoverished the land overnight. That does raise more questions."

"I'm afraid so, Officer Wilde," said Amber.

"Questions to which the answers I shall find," said Nick determinedly. "Amber, thank you so much! I have to be going now, gotta meet up with an old friend of mine for lunch. I owe you one, big time!"

"Oh, you're more than welcome, Officer Wilde!" said Amber, getting up and walking with him to the door.

Amber opened the door for Nick. He paused at the doorway, looking back at her and smiling.

"You know, the Forensics Department used to be like a sort of limbo nobody went into, until you arrived," said Nick. "We used to walk past this door like it was just part of the wall, myself included. But not anymore. Now I have a good reason to stop by and go inside and say hello. It's always great to have a friend working with you, Amber. I really appreciate everything you do, and will make a point of stopping by every time I am down here."

Amber's face lit up with joy. Her cheeks flushed and she closed her eyes, completely enthralled.

"Oh, Officer Wilde! You can come inside whenever you like, as often as you like," said Amber delightedly.

Awkward pause.

"Um…come inside the lab…and pay me a visit…I'm always here, working on something," said Amber, fidgeting with her paws. "…and glad to have company…yes, always glad…"

"Thank you, Amber," said Nick. "You're a saint, and you know it."

He waved goodbye and hurried upstairs to the entrance hall.

"I wonder how many bed sheets she goes through in a week."


	3. Computers and Chemicals

Judy was munching on a bean burrito when Nick walked into Garth's basement. She was sitting next to Garth, both of them looking at his computer screen unblinkingly.

"Hey guys!" said Nick.

"Nick! Grab a burrito, you'll wanna see this," said Garth.

Nick took a burrito out of Garth's refrigerator and put it in the microwave, which was right beside him.

"Okay, so all these are purchases, see?" said Garth, showing Judy the columns of numbers and names of different things. "The alphanumeric digits in the centre column are the internal code that the company uses. But for an agricultural company, they sure do buy a lot of weird stuff."

"What do you mean?" asked Judy through a mouthful of burrito.

"Ammonium acetate? Dichlorobenzene periodate? Acetylsalicylic acid in bulk? Not something I'd associate with an agricultural firm. More like a pharmaceutical company, if you ask me."

"Well, don't they produce fertilisers?" asked Judy. "They could be making fertiliser to sell and use on their farmland."

"That theory would be correct…if they had any line of fertilisers in their catalogue, which they do not," said Garth, showing her a list of their products. "Why would a company that claims to be an agricultural firm purchase large amounts of chemicals that are not traditionally associated with the fabrication of fertilisers, and do it in the utmost secrecy?"

Nick walked up behind Garth with his burrito in his paw.

"Garth, is there a shipping manifest? Is there a way to track down where they're storing the chemicals?"

"Where there's a whip, there's a way!" said Garth, tapping some keys.

"Um…I believe it's 'Where there's a _will_ , there's a way'," said Nick.

Garth signed sadly.

"It's at times like this that I'd love to have a fellow basement-dwelling nerd to catch my references and chuckle along with me."

Nick didn't know what to say. Neither did Judy.

"There," said Garth. "Shipping manifest. Delivered at 8423 South Limpopo Avenue."

"Hey!" said Nick, remembering something. "That's old Cosgrove's place."

"Cosgrove? The one that was bought out by Terra Firma?" said Judy, her ears perking up. "The same place where Mr Capri was arrested?"

"The very one!" said Nick.

"What was the old saying? Hide in plain sight?" said Garth, pulling up the location on Zoogle Maps. "Looks like these guys have taken that adage to heart."

Nick and Judy looked at the picture of the building on the screen…and then at each other.

"What do you say, Carrots? We already committed information theft and illegal infiltration of encrypted data today," said Nick with a wry smile. "Wanna add break-and-entering to the list?"

"That's a D and an E and an 'efinitely!" said Judy, high-fiving her favourite fox. "We're gonna find out what they're up to and put them out of commission!"

"And that's the bottom line! 'Cause Stoat Cold said so!" bellowed Garth, standing on his chair in a dramatic pose.

* * *

It was quiet for a Thursday afternoon. Judy sidled along the wall with Nick close behind. There was nobody in sight, but still she strained her eyes to see if there was anybody hiding in some shadow of the alley. All was clear.

"Okay," she said. "You've been inside this building."

"A couple of times," said Nick.

Judy stopped, turned to him and stared.

"Um…disregard that last comment," said Nick sheepishly.

"I think I will," said Judy, trying hard not to imagine Nick's past exploits before they had met. "So, any security cameras to worry about?"

"Two," said Nick. "One in the front entrance, the other in the receiving bay."

"That's it?"

"Old Cosgrove was pretty lax on security, that's why Finnick and I…"

He stopped.

"I can't seem to get my foot out of my mouth, can I?"

"Water under the bridge, hun," said Judy. "So we're clear?"

"Yup," said Nick.

"Okay, here goes."

Judy took a small kit out of her pocket and opened it. Inside were several lock picks. She approached the side door and got to work.

"Keep an eye out," said Judy. "I'll open this."

"Roger that," said Nick, his ears perked up and his eyes scanning the alley for any sign of witnesses.

After a minute or so, the lock clicked and the door opened a fraction.

"Got it," said Judy, stashing her lock picks in her pocket and carefully sneaking into the building. Nick double-checked to see if nobody was watching, and followed her.

The familiar stairwell met his eyes. Judy stood there, waiting for him to guide her.

"Where to, slick?"

"Let's check the receiving bay, I'm sure whatever they ship comes in through there."

He led the way up two flights of stairs and through a door. Carefully, they tiptoed down a corridor, heading towards the back of the building. At a doorway, they stopped and listened. Nobody could be heard. Judy cautiously peered around the doorway and beckoned for Nick to have a peek.

"Looks like Garth was on the money," whispered Judy. "That's a heck of a lot of chemicals."

Large kegs and boxes marked 'Hazardous Material' were neatly stocked in the storage area beneath them. Judy tiptoed into the storage area along a walkway that ran close to the ceiling, counting the kegs and looking at their names.

"They're all here," said Judy, taking out her phone and filming the room. "Somehow, I doubt this stuff is used to raise good crops. Looks more like herbicide to me."

"Carrots!" whispered Nick.

Judy turned to see him pointing at a door near the end of the room below. It was marked 'LAB'.

"Alright!" said Judy. "Maybe we can find out what they're making."

They found the stairs that led to the floor below and carefully entered the lab. Everything was clean and pristine. The glassware was neatly arranged, the tools were polished, and at the far end, Judy spotted a refrigeration unit.

Carefully, she approached the refrigeration unit. With her paw tucked in her sleeve, she opened the door of the unit, careful not to leave any prints.

Judy and Nick saw several sealed test tubes filled with glowing orange liquid. It was somewhat viscous and shone brightly in the light of the refrigeration unit light bulb.

"Shall we take one?" asked Judy.

"We shall," said Nick.

He took his handkerchief out, grabbed one of the test tubes and wrapped it safely. Then Judy reinforced it with hers.

"Okay," said Judy, filming the lab and each of the machines. "Now let's go upstairs and check…"

But a loud noise cut her off! The noise of the receiving bay doors opening!

The corrugated metal shutters made a loud noise as they slowly moved up. Judy knew she and Nick had a few seconds before bad became worse.

"Come on!" she whispered urgently and grabbed his paw, dashing for the door.

They sneaked out of the lab and hid behind the large boxes of chemicals, waiting and peeking from between the gaps. A delivery truck slowly backed closer to the bay doors until it reached the unloading position. It stopped and a large caribou jumped out of the driver's seat, followed by a bear.

"Is this the last delivery, Al?" asked the bear.

"Yep," said the caribou, opening the back of the truck as the bear walked into the building to get a pallet jack.

"Poker at Joan's with the boys tonight?" asked the bear.

"Yep," answered the caribou.

They unloaded several boxes of chemicals, arranging them on the far side of the room. The bear went through a checklist and verified that everything was accounted for.

"Well, that's the last of it," said the bear.

"Yep," answered the caribou.

"Same time next Thursday," said the bear, checking his list.

"Yep," said the caribou.

"Alright. Let's get outta here."

The two delivery workers closed the bay doors, got in their truck and left.

"Whew!" said Judy.

"Yep," said Nick.

Judy fake-elbowed him in the ribs playfully.

"That was a close shave," she said.

"I think we should call it quits for now, Carrots," said Nick. "We can come back tonight, when nobody is likely to burst in with cargo."

"I'll drink to that," said Judy as they emerged from their hiding place. "Let's go show this to Garth."

They returned to the stairwell and reached the side door to the alley. Nick was just about to open the door, when….

"I assure you, sir," said a jittery voice on the other side. "Everything will be arranged according to your plan."

Nick bolted around, picked up Judy unceremoniously and flew up the stairs, his tail disappearing around the corner just as the door opened and a mole walked in, followed by two thuggish grizzly bears. He was talking on the phone with his boss.

"Yes, I'll look into it and make sure all the arrangements are made," said the mole. "Yes, I'll call you immediately as soon as it's done."

The boss hung up. Mr George Jenkins, the mole that Judy and Nick had met earlier at the Terra Firma headquarters, walked up the stairs followed by the two bodyguards.

"Okay, Rosco, you empty the storage on the third floor. Butch, you come with me, I can't lift those kegs to save my life," said the mole.

Judy and Nick listened as the bear walked up the stairs towards them. They quickly and quietly ran into the third floor corridor and into the storage room where Nick had been in just a week before.

"Déjà vu," said Nick as he and Judy walked in.

"What now?" asked Judy.

"Bungee cables. Window. Escape."

Judy understood. She helped Nick quickly attach a few lengths of bungee cable into a long rope. Nick walked to the window and threw the cable at the familiar flagpole overhead. It latched on securely.

"Hey, this is almost like the ending of the movie we watched last night," said Judy as Nick took her safely in his arm and she hugged him firmly around the neck. "You know, when the hero and the girl swung down from the exploding airship?"

"One of these days, Carrots," said Nick with a mixture of grin and frown. "You and I are going to sit down and have a long talk."

Nick gripped the end of the cable with all his might and jumped out the window!

The cable pulled back just as they were two feet above the sidewalk. Nick let go and landed safely, and the cable bounced back up.

As the cable bounced up, the hook detached itself from the flagpole and the cable fell to the ground. Judy quickly snatched the cable and rolled it up, taking it with her as she and Nick dashed away from the building.

"This might come in useful again," said Judy as they ran across the street at a corner, heading back towards Garth's place.

* * *

Garth watched the videos from Judy's phone carefully on his computer screen.

"It all seems to indicate that the agricultural firm is a front," said Garth. "They're secretly purchasing chemicals and storing them in the warehouses they bought out, while at the same time setting up clandestine laboratories."

He turned his head and looked at the test tube filled with bright orange liquid, sitting safely inside a glass cabinet to his right.

"Whatever it is, I doubt it's super-vitamin formula," said Garth. "There's a reason they wanted it kept out of the public eye."

"And I think I know who can help us figure out what this stuff is," said Nick.

"Let me guess…" said Judy with a teasing smirk. "Oh, Officer Wilde! You can deliver me your fluids anytime you want! Um…meaning the fluids you found in test tube…in clandestine labs…not what you think I totally didn't mean…and yet did, in a manner of speaking," Judy did her best impression of Amber.

Nick chuckled as he pulled Judy into a hug and gave her a gentle noogie.

"Are you jelly, widdle bunny?" teased Nick.

"Hah!" said Judy.

"Alright," said Nick. "Let's all go. That way you can make sure your pwecious widdle foxy behaves himself."

Judy snorted with laughter as she and Nick walked to the door.

"You too, Garth," said Nick. "And bring that orange stuff with you."

"Okay," said Garth, reaching for the test tube of orange chemical. "Hmm…forensics lab. This might be enlightening."

* * *

It was late afternoon when they got to Precinct 1. Benjamin Clawhauser was just getting ready to end his day, packing his most prized belongings underneath his desk for safekeeping, chief among which was his limited-edition numbered Gazelle doll that Judy had gotten for him from the Bunny Burrow County Fair.

"Hey Clawhauser!" said Judy.

The cheetah smiled with delight.

"Hopps! Wilde!" he said. "I thought you were on leave!"

"We are. But we just needed to stop by," said Judy. "Do you have any visitor badges? For our friend here."

Clawhauser looked beyond Judy and saw Nick with Garth.

"Mr O' Possum!" said Clawhauser. "So nice to see you!"

Garth had been an essential player in cracking the crooked carnival caper two months earlier, and Clawhauser had become quite the fan of the little opossum.

"How's it hangin', Ben!" said Garth.

"How's everyone's favourite Junior ZPD Officer?" said Clawhauser.

"Doing fine! We have a little business in the catacombs," said Garth.

"Oh, go right ahead," said Clawhauser. "Our Honorary Junior ZPD Officer is always welcome here!"

Nick led Garth to the stairs to the basement.

"Hey Clawhauser, I need to go upstairs for a bit," said Judy. "To my cubicle. I have something I need to check on my computer."

"This is your home, Hopps," said Clawhauser. "Go right on ahead."

As Judy walked up the stairs, Clawhauser looked at the three of them heading in different directions and sighed with joy.

"We're one big happy family," he said dreamily as he left his front desk to clock out.

Nick knocked on the door of the Forensics Department and heard the familiar footsteps approaching.

The door opened and Amber's bespectacled face greeted them.

"Officer Wilde!" she said delightedly. "What a lovely surprise!"

"Hello, Amber," said Nick. "I'm afraid I have more work for you. Sorry to impose."

"Oh, it's no bother at all, Officer Wilde," said Amber, inviting them in. "Please, please come in and make yourself at home!"

Nick walked in and Garth followed.

"Oh!" said Amber. "We have a visitor!"

"Yes," said Nick. "Amber, I'd like you to meet a long-time friend of mine and Junior ZPD Officer extraordinaire, Garth O' Possum!"

Nick turned to Garth.

"Garth, meet Amber Beverly Latrans, our extraordinary forensics specialist," said Nick.

"So pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr O' Possum!" said Amber, extending her dainty paw.

"The pleasure is all mine," said Garth, taking her paw gallantly and kissing it lightly in the old-fashioned way.

Amber giggled.

"Such a cavalier," she said.

Amber walked over to the coffee machine in the corner.

"May I offer you a drink?" she asked her guests. "Coffee, tea, hot chocolate perhaps?"

"Coffee is fine," said Nick.

"I never turn down a cup of hot chocolate," said Garth.

"Heehee, neither do I," said Amber as she reached for José Carioca's Finest Dark Coffee, a Zootopian favourite brand, and two sachets of powdered cocoa.

After a while, Amber gave Garth and Nick their drinks and took a sip of her own.

"So, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure times two, Officer Wilde?"

Garth beamed. Nick took the test tube of orange liquid wrapped in handkerchiefs out of his pocket and carefully unbundled it. He gave it to Amber, who looked curiously at it in the light.

"I need you to tell me what this is," said Nick.

"Wow," said Amber. "This is high-quality work. The test tube alone is worth more than a luxury dinner at the Maison du Bison. Will it be inappropriate to ask where you obtained this?"

"No, but Amber…"

Nick looked very seriously at her.

"I need you to keep this a secret," said Nick. "I trust you. You're more than our colleague, you are our friend. There are some things you don't come back from without becoming friends, and helping to clear your name after the carnival debacle, and you repaying us a billion times over by coming and working so hard to help as a forensic science specialist…"

Nick put his coffee down and held her paw.

"You are a treasure, Amber. I want you to know that."

Amber didn't know what to answer.

"I hold you in the highest esteem, darling. I need you to know that we are following the clues of what may be a very large and elaborate crime, and we are alone in this. Judy, myself, Garth…and now you, Amber."

Amber blushed, but not with infatuation. With genuine emotion and feeling of solemnity.

"Whatever is in that tube, we have reason to believe it's something that is being used for bad purposes," said Nick. "And now…it's up to you. Whether we triumph or fail is in your paws."

He let go of her paw and stepped back a little, letting his words settle in. Amber adjusted her spectacles and looked determined.

"Leave it to me, Officer Wilde!" she said in a determined tone. "I'll find out what this orange stuff is if it takes me all night. Your trust shall not be misplaced with me."

"Thank you, Amber," said Nick, genuinely grateful.

With a confident smile, she went over to her workbench, placing the test tube safely in a cooling cabinet while she prepared the tools of her trade.

"Let me bring you up to speed," said Nick. "Terra Firma Incorporated is the company we're investigating. We found that orange stuff in one of their warehouses, in a laboratory that I seriously doubt was declared in their building permission documents."

"A clandestine lab," said Amber. "That is already grounds for investigation."

"But it gets better…or worse," said Nick. "They're buying farmland in a three hundred mile radius around Zootopia. And they just so happen to buy land right after the crops on those lands fail. Officer Hopps and I are convinced that they are responsible for the failing crops and are swindling people out of their land to monopolise the agricultural industry around Zootopia. And they're trying to acquire retail and warehouse space here in the city as well. And we suspect that the explosion that happened last night was not an accident. It was intentional. An intimidation tactic, perhaps masterminded by the president of the company. So Terra Firma would own the retail outlets, warehouses, distribution networks and the farms. Win-win tactic for them, at the expense of many."

"That is an evil and despicable plot!" spat Amber with indignation as she calibrated her tools. "The small farm has always been the cornerstone of our society. Surrendering what little we have left of the wonderful reminder of what made this nation what it is to corporate conglomerates…it shall not be tolerated!"

Nick liked the way she put it. Garth was sitting by the coffee machine, sipping his yummy hot chocolate and listening enthralled to every word.

"Whoever the CEO is over there at Terror Firma," said Amber, and Nick chuckled at her pun. "I shall see him put behind bars. He sits up high looking down upon the world, but the higher he climbs, the farther he shall fall! Vae victus!"

" _The Lord of Murder shall perish_ ," quoted Garth from the other side of the room. " _But in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown_ …"

"… _from their passage. So sayeth the wise Baa-laundo_ ," finished Amber.

And they both stopped dead. Garth and Amber stopped what they were doing, turned around and their gazes met. Nick would have sworn he felt electricity coursing through the air between the two gazes.

"You played Bulldur's Gate?!" exclaimed Garth.

"Only every night all night for several nights all summer in my last year of school!" said Amber, giggling like a school girl.

Their smiles could have cut diamond.

" _You've had an itty-bitty piece of my soul in there for quite a while now. What's it been like?_ " asked Garth.

" _Well, other than a slight obsession with my weight and the resurgence of a few pimples, it's been simply grand_!" answered Amber.

Nick jumped a bit when they both squealed with absolute bliss! Garth ran to Amber and Amber ran to Garth. They made a complicated paw sign and high-fived and finished with a fist-bump.

"Where have you been all my life!?" said Garth.

"Where have YOU been all MY life!?" said Amber.

"Saving the world…"

"…from the comfort of my basement!"

They laughed mirthfully. Nick's face turned from astonished to mischievous. As Amber and Garth chattered happily, he quietly backed away and opened the door, sidling out slowly.

"I'll, uh...leave you two alone," said Nick with a mischievous look on his face, quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

Judy walked briskly down the stairs to the basement of the precinct. She had been in her cubicle, doing research with the help of the videos she had recorded the previous night. She checked the traffic cameras to see where the black car that she had been chasing went. It turned out it went to a private garage, owned by Terra Firma, Inc. And the license plate number coincided with a car purchased by the company as well. She felt they were on the right track, slowly piling up the evidence.

Judy walked to the door of the Forensics Department and opened it.

"Hey guys, I found something that…might…help…"

She stopped dead!

Amber and Garth were locked in a tight, warm embrace, kissing passionately, their paws all over each other, Garth's tail wrapped around Amber's waist and her lab coat unbuttoned almost completely.

They suddenly stopped, sensing her presence. They looked at Judy, all three of them wide-eyed and stunned.

"Uh...Officer Hopps!" said Amber.

"Um...don't mind me. I didn't see anything," said Judy, walking backwards and closing the door. "I'll come back...in a few minutes…or so..."

Judy walked away from the door and stood against the wall of the basement corridor. For a few seconds, she couldn't quite believe what she had witnessed. But then suddenly…she put her paws to her face and started shaking with suppressed laughter.

Just then, Nick came walking down the corridor and smiled at her.

"Alright, Carrots?"

Judy burst into laughter, leaning on Nick and laughing mirthfully.

"You are...a bona fide Cupid...you sly fox."

"Um...am I missing something?"

Judy told him what she saw. Then it was Nick's turn to double over with laughter.

"Noooo...you mean...Garth...and Amber...nooo…no way!"

"I'm telling you, it's snog central up in there. If I'd walked in two minutes later than I did, I'm sure I'd have had to lecture them about indecent exposure."

"Well, I'll be a sheep's mutton chops," said Nick. "Looks like Marie Curie has found her Pierre!"

Judy hugged him happily. It felt so good. A new love was born on that fateful late afternoon, and she and Nick had had a part in it. Judy felt a bliss welling up in her body as she pulled Nick closer to her and kissed him, and he happily kissed her back.

Love was always a good thing. In a world where greed and selfishness often obscured the joy of others, a new love was like a rebellious ray of hope that pierced the dark clouds of despair. Judy had promised to strive to make the world a better place. And she knew, as did Nick, that _love_ made the world a better place.

* * *

After ten minutes, Nick knocked on the door of the Forensics Department gently. The door opened and Amber (properly clothed, but with her glasses slightly askew) opened the door.

"Officer Wilde! Officer Hopps! Come on in!"

Judy and Nick walked in. Garth was sitting at Amber's desk, doing something with her computer while humming a tune which Amber hummed along with him. The complicity and tenderness was already palpable between the two…and it had barely been thirty minutes since they first laid eyes on each other.

"Officers," said Amber. "I know what we're dealing with."

She beckoned for them to follow her. She showed them a sample of the orange liquid in a glass slide under the microscope. Then some test tubes in which she had done tests on it with different reagents.

"If this really is what it is, Officers," said Amber. "Then Terror Firma Incorporated has some serious explaining to do, because having this stuff is very, very illegal."

Amber was in her absolute gravy. She loved her job, they could tell. She paused for her words to take effect before showing them a paper she had printed with a complicated formula.

"This is pan-dimonium acetate," said Amber. "It was developed in the 1950's during the agricultural revolution, originally meant to be an effective weed killer. But it turned out to kill everything else, not just weeds. What this chemical does when spread on the earth is cause the nitrogen to become volatile and evaporate into the atmosphere, thus impoverishing the soil. Its effect was almost catastrophic and it was therefore banned. Anybody who is found in possession of this substance, let alone using it, can face some serious consequences. We're talking a lifetime in prison."

Judy and Nick were stunned. Slowly and surely, things were beginning to become clear.

"If my speculation is correct," said Amber. "Terror Firma Incorporated is spreading this chemical in some way over the fields, making them barren, and then purchasing the land shortly after, which they'll once again fertilise and use for their own purposes."

"What a scheme," said Garth, walking towards them after having finished doing whatever he was doing with Amber's computer. "Making the farmers unable to plant anything and stealing their land. It's right out of a science fiction film."

"Their entire livelihoods depend on agriculture," said Amber. "Spreading pan-dimonium acetate over the fields would cause..."

"...Pandemonium!" exclaimed Garth.

Amber and Garth burst into laughter and high-fived. Judy and Nick glanced sideways at each other and grinned.

"Pan-dimonium acetate can be easily neutralised with sodium chloride, also know as common table salt," said Amber. "But you would have to know it's there. And the poor farmers don't. They think their crops are failing. Their lands are being contaminated by this evil entity."

"But how?" asked Judy. "We would have noticed if someone was spreading this stuff over our fields."

"Hmm…" said Nick. "Maybe in the water…"

"This stuff is not hydrosoluble," said Amber. "It would float to the top of the water, thus making it very noticeable."

"Okay, scratch that…but still, it had to be done in a way that could be secret and imperceptible," said Nick.

"If only I could get a soil sample," said Amber. "It would be so much easier if I could get samples of the soil from the farms, then maybe we could figure out how they're getting the chemical into the ground."

Judy and Nick looked at each other and immediately read each other's minds.

"Hey Amber," said Judy. "When's your day off?"

"Oh, I have the weekend off," said Amber. "As a matter of fact, I have accumulated quite a few days off, which I can take whenever I please. I've been working almost non-stop since I joined. But I enjoy it. For me, it's like being at home."

"How would you like to go on a little field trip?" asked Nick.

Amber's smile could have crushed diamond.

"Really!? Sounds exciting!" she said girlishly. "Where to?"

"Bunny Burrow, my hometown," said Judy. "And bring along that handsome escort of yours," she added with a wink.

"You mean it?!" asked Garth, becoming just as excited as Amber.

"What better way to have a weekend away from the city and perhaps a little romantic alone-time?" said Nick with a cheeky grin. "Plus you'll be _in situ_ , so you can research the soil at your heart's content. And Garth's computing skills will certainly come in useful."

"YES!" said Garth and Amber in unison.

"Then it's settled!" said Judy. "We'll leave tomorrow at midnight, arrive the next day in the early morning. I'll arrange everything."

And so it was settled.

Judy and Nick said goodbye to Amber and Garth and walked out of the Forensics Department, leaving the two new lovebirds to their studies and video game quotes and high-fives and mutual affection.

As they walked out of the station and into the evening, Judy beamed happily. It had been a great day! She looked at Nick, also smiling as he walked beside her, and snuggled close to him.

"You know, when this is all over…we should talk them into having a double date with us," said Judy, hugging his arm.

Nick turned his head and his warm, affectionate smile filled her heart with bliss.

"That's a D and an E and an 'efinitely," said Nick, tapping her nose with his finger playfully.


	4. Uncles and Aunts

The train arrived on time. It was half past five in the morning when Stuart and Bonnie Hopps stood in warm clothes on the platform and saw their beloved daughter Judy walking paw-in-paw with her beloved Nicholas Wilde. And behind them, walking arm-in-arm, were the funniest couple the Hoppses had ever seen. A small, chubby, bespectacled opossum in overalls and a fuzzy sweater, very mismatched, and a slender and beautiful young coyote lady, also wearing spectacles, sporting a lovely trench coat and pink scarf, and a pink beret that matched her scarf. They were all carrying suitcases.

"Hello everyone!" said Judy as she hugged her mother and father.

"So glad you arrived safely!" said the parents as they hugged Judy and then Nick.

Then they turned to the newcomers.

"Hail, well met, dear Hoppses," said Amber.

"Greetings and salutations, honoured Hopps family!" said Garth.

Stu smiled. What a funny little guy, he thought.

"You must be Garth O' Possum, the computer genius that helped crack the case of the carnival hypnotist," he said.

"The same," said Garth, shaking Stu's paw and gallantly kissing Bonnie's paw. "And this is my lovely patch of heaven on Earth, the light of my life and flame of my heart, Miss Amber Beverly Latrans."

"Mr Hopps, so very enchanted to meet you," said Amber, allowing Stu to kiss her paw. "And Mrs Hopps, so lovely to be here in your wonderful hometown," said Amber as she hugged and kissed Bonnie.

"We are so glad you decided to come and help our humble little town in this time of great need," said Bonnie. "Do come with us, you must come and share breakfast with our family."

"It would be our pleasure, dear Mrs Hopps," said Amber.

"Let's just leave our suitcases at the inn and…"

"The inn? Oh, surely you're joking, Mr O' Possum!" said Stu, patting his back jovially. "You'll both be staying with us! You are our guests for as long as you like!"

"Oh, Mr Hopps, that is very generous of you," said Amber. "We do not wish to impose…"

"It would be an honour to have you in our humble home," said Bonnie. "A friend of Judy and Nick's is a friend of ours. We'll be all together like one big happy family."

It was the warmth and hospitality of the peaceful folk like the Hoppses that reminded city folk like Nick, Garth and Amber that kindness existed in the world. And that as long as there was kindness in the world, no matter how small, there was hope.

* * *

To say that the Hopps children were fond of their new houseguests would be an understatement. They were enthralled!

Garth had asked permission to install his computer working station in the loft of the barn, and Stu was only too happy to comply. There was no harvest to store in the barn, so it felt good to have someone in there with a cheery fire burning in a metal keg to warm up the place. Amber had installed her lab in the barn as well, so she could be in a large airy space and close to her sweetheart.

The children loved to watch them work. Garth was so funny when he jumped about up on the loft, latching his long prehensile tail on the rafters and swinging dangerously around with all the skill of a trapeze artist. And Auntie Amber, as the kids had named her, was the most beautifully feminine and dainty figure they had ever seen. The girls were fascinated by her giggles, lady-like demeanour and her soft, sweet voice. She was like a porcelain figure, so slender and perfect. Even Kevin, who would normally dismiss all girly things as 'sissy stuff', couldn't help feeling a little thump in his seven-year old chest when Amber kissed his cheek and introduced herself upon her arrival at the Hopps farm.

Penny was perhaps the most fascinated by Amber's work. She helped the coyote girl with everything, being very careful and imitating every move the lovely chemist did, even to the point of walking like her and swaying her hips ever so slightly.

"I'd love to be a chemist when I finish school, Auntie Amber," said Penny on that lovely Saturday afternoon as they worked with samples of soil taken from all the farms that had been affected, which were now eight. "I'd be able to help so many people, just like you."

"I know the dean of the university personally, she and my mother went to school together and she's the godmother of my eldest brother," said Amber. "I can certainly talk to her about a scholarship, any eager young minds who wish to study and follow their dreams should be encouraged."

Penny hugged Amber very tight and buried her face into her lab coat. She smelt divine, like perfume and kindness. Amber hugged Penny back, feeling that she had found more than just a friend: she had found a little sister and a future colleague.

"You and I will be the best of friends forever and ever, Penny, darling," said Amber.

Penny could only hug her and breathe in her lovely scent.

Kevin was equally fascinated by Garth's work. He spent the afternoon asking a million questions, all of which Garth answered happily. It was quite like two children playing computer scientists, only with real computers and with actual high-tech computation skills.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be a hacker just like you, Uncle Garth!"

"Kevin, dear," said Bonnie Hopps, flushing lightly as she overheard.

"Oh, that's alright, Mrs Hopps. Call a spade a spade, I always say," said Garth. "So, you wanna learn the tools of the trade, Kev? Stick with your Uncle Garth, he'll show you the ropes!"

Judy looked upon the scene with a smile of absolute joy on her face. They were truly like one big family, working together to solve this case and make those who would harm the good folk of Bunny Burrow and the other farming communities pay for their crimes.

"It's the little things like this that make one proud to serve and protect," said Nick as he and Judy stood in the doorway of the barn, watching their two friends work away with their little assistants.

Suddenly, Nick felt a small paw tugging at his sleeve. He turned around, smiled and knelt down to be closer to the sweet little bunny who was tugging for his attention.

"Uncle Nick?" said Bianca. "My teacher says we have to find three different kinds of leaves for our homework. And I wanna make my leaves extra special. Can you help me find some really nice leaves?"

"Of course, little ace," said Nick.

"Judy, can you come too?"

"Of course, sweetheart," said Judy, rubbing her dear sister's cheeks with her warm paws.

"Daddy said we can look over there, near the clearing just after our apple orchard," said Bianca.

"Well, hop on board, little ace, and let's fly away to the quest for the homework leaves!" said Nick, putting her on his shoulders and walking across the empty carrot fields towards the orchard.

Judy giggled as she followed, watching with joy as Bianca and Nick bonded. Even in the midst of a crisis and under the shadow of uncertainty, she knew that they would always find a way to pull through, with hope and affection, and love. Always with love.

* * *

Nick and Bianca walked side-by-side, Bianca holding Nick's paw, as they searched for interesting-looking leaves in the clearing. Judy scanned the nearby branches to see if there were any leaves that would make for a good homework project.

"Lookit that one, Uncle Nick!" said Bianca, pointing at one close to the middle of the clearing "It looks like a star."

"Yes!" said Nick. "I bet Teacher will love that one."

He knelt down and looked at the little bunny.

"Betcha you can't go and get it and come back in ten seconds," said Nick playfully.

"Betcha I can!" said Bianca excitedly.

"Well, then…ready…set…go!"

Bianca giggled happily as she ran off towards the middle of the clearing and Nick counted.

"Ten….nine…eight…"

Bianca stopped and picked up the leaf.

"Got it, Uncle Nick!

And then a whooshing sound…and the ground opened beneath her!

"AAH!"

"BIANCA!"

Nick felt the world move in slow motion as he ran towards her. Not long ago he'd had a nightmare like this, and it had just come true. A large, yawning round hole had appeared where the middle of the clearing had been. And hanging on a root jutting out on the side of the hole was…

"HELP!"

Bianca was holding on for dear life, dangling over a black pit!

"Bianca! Hold still!" said Nick, kneeling down and reaching for her.

"UNCLE NICK! HEELLPP…!"

And the root broke. Bianca plummeted down for all of a tenth of a second…before a strong paw grabbed her paw firmly and pulled her up out of the dreadful pit.

Judy came running and arrived just in time to see Nick pulling her little sister away from the hole and hugging her tightly to his chest, kissing her little head comfortingly.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now. I've got you."

Bianca's frightened sobs were muffled by Nick's warm embrace.

"Uncle Nick…" she sobbed. "I was so scared…"

"I've got you now, little ace," said Nick reassuringly. "You're safe. Uncle Nick has you."

Judy hugged the two of them, adding her warmth and comfort to Nick's. Bianca's sobs soon subsided and she calmed down and stopped trembling.

"Come on, little ace," said Nick. "Let's get you home. I bet Auntie Amber will be glad to make you a cup of hot chocolate."

He wiped her tears with her finger and kissed her forehead as he and Judy carried her back to the house.

* * *

Bianca was feeling better. Her Auntie Amber had made her a cup of warm chocolate and was now sitting beside her on the sofa in the living room, hugging her and giving her lots of nuzzles. Her Uncle Nick was beside her too, with his fluffy tail wrapped around her like a warm scarf. Her mother and father were sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, grateful and teary-eyed, comforting their littlest daughter.

The whole family was sitting in the living room, gathered around the sofa. Bianca felt secure in the bosom of her family. Big sister Judy sat beside Uncle Nick, and funny Uncle Garth sat beside Auntie Amber, his kind face making her smile and feel that she would never be in any danger ever again.

"Thank you, Uncle Nick," said Bianca, looking up adoringly at the fox and hugging his waist with her little arms. "You're my hero."

Everyone concurred in silence. Nick had once again saved the family from what would have been a devastating event. Nobody wanted to imagine what they'd be going through if Nick had not been there to save Bianca from a deadly fall.

And in the silence of the living room, they suddenly heard an amazing baritone voice singing. It took them a few seconds to realise it was Garth!

" _Here he comes, that Mighty Fox! Coming to vanquish the foe, with mighty blow_!"

"Aww, c'mon, Garth," said Nick.

And a beautiful, melodious soprano voice answered, like the singing of an angel.

" _So don't be afraid anymore! For things won't be like they've been before_!"

"You too, Amber?" said Nick. "I give up. What am I gonna do with you two?"

Everyone giggled, including little Bianca. Garth and Amber stood up and walked to the middle of the room, posing dramatically and gesticulating to the lyrics of their song.

" _Here he comes to save the day! Thank goodness Mighty Fox in on his way_!"

The children were enthralled. And so were the grown-ups, for that matter.

" _Just like a bolt from the blue, with a heart that's true_!" sung Amber.

"Aw, shucks, you guys," said Nick. Everyone giggled and laughed.

" _Fighting evil, fighting crime_!"

" _And always there in the **nick** of time_!"

They winked upon the word 'nick'. Everyone got their wordplay and applauded.

" _Mighty Fox is on his way! And he will prove that crime will never pay_!"

Judy looked up at Nick and noticed his lip trembling and his eyes becoming damp.

" _So let the trumpet players plaaay_ …"

".. _for Mighty Fox is here todaaaayy_!"

Everyone applauded delighted at the amazing song! Garth and Amber held paws and bowed before their audience.

Judy saw Nick's face, streaming with mirthful tears. Bianca noticed too.

"Aww, don't cry, Uncle Nick," said the little bunny and hugged her uncle tightly.

Nick couldn't hold back a sniffle. Two tears rolled down his cheeks as he let it out.

"Awww, honey bun," said Judy.

She hugged him snugly together with her little sister. He must have cried more this past week than he had in twenty years, and she knew that it had done him well to be surrounded by her loving family and such wonderful friends as Garth and Amber.

"You guys…are the best," said Nick, taking a deep breath and wiping his eyes with his handkerchief.

"You're a hero, Nick," said Garth. "Cape and theme song and all. Bianca's drawing on the fridge is proof!"

Everyone laughed happily. After a long while, Bonnie went to the kitchen to get supper ready, and Amber took Bianca in her arms and turned to all the younger bunnies.

"Who wants Auntie Amber to read you a story?" she asked sweetly.

All the bunnies said 'Me!', even the older ones like Penny and Peter.

Amber and Garth walked to the girls' room followed by all the children, Amber carrying Bianca. As they disappeared down the corridor, Judy and Nick stood side-by-side and looked at each other.

"Looks like we have some investigating to do," said Nick.

"That we do, Mighty Fox," said Judy.

* * *

The sun was low when Judy and Nick approached the gaping hole in the ground in the middle of the clearing. Upon closer inspection, they noticed that it had once been covered with a thin carpet of leaves and twigs. When Bianca stood on the fake ground, her weight made it collapse.

"Okay," said Judy, taking her supplies out of her bag. "Just a quick look. We don't know what's down there."

"Right," said Nick.

Judy took a headlamp out of her bag and put it on her head. Then she offered one to Nick. Nick smiled.

"Thanks, but I can manage without."

Judy had forgotten, for the second time in a year, that he could see in the dark. For a fleeting moment she envied his natural ability.

"Alright," said Judy, stashing the headlamp and taking out the bungee cable she had brought from old Cosgrove's former warehouse. "Let's tie a stone to the end and see how far down it goes."

They did. Carefully, they lowered the bungee cable into the hole until it touched the bottom. They pulled the cable back up and measured the depth of the pit.

"Not as deep as I thought," said Judy. "Nine metres, and some change."

"Still a dangerous drop," said Nick. "And you say this wasn't here before?"

"No, we used to play in this clearing all the time. This hole is new," said Judy.

"I'll bet you a cup of Amber's hot chocolate and a plate of your mother's currant cookies that this is connected to Terra Firma and the murdered crops," said Nick.

"My thoughts exactly," said Judy as she took a metal stake and hammered it firmly into the ground beside the hole, attaching the bungee cable to it securely. "Let me go first."

Judy switched on her headlamp and descended slowly along the bungee cable into the hole. It was clean and dug with precision. Definitely not natural.

She touched the ground at the bottom and surveyed the area with her headlamp. There was a tunnel that went almost horizontally towards the farm. She shone light into the tunnel but it was too long to see the end.

Judy tugged on the rope three times, and shortly Nick descended and was beside her.

"Check it out, Nick," said Judy. "Someone's been tunnelling under the farm. Let's see how far it goes."

They followed the tunnel cautiously, taking it slow and checking all around them.

It seemed to go on forever, until…

"A fork," said Nick.

"Yes, and one goes south, towards the Benteen farm across the road," said Judy. "Dad told me they were the next to have their crops fail."

"Hey…what's that?"

Judy turned around, and her headlamp shone on something metallic.

They walked closer and inspected it. It was a _machine_.

It was difficult to describe. It was like a cross between a drill and a bulldozer, yellow and with danger lines around the mobile parts. White letters on its side read _Burr-O-Matic 9000_.

And then, like a flame in his mind, Nick remembered something.

"That sound!" said Nick.

"Huh?" said Judy.

"Remember last Saturday? When I woke up in the middle of the night and heard a rumbling sound?"

"Yes…ah! Of course!"

Judy realised it immediately.

"They were burrowing under the ground with this machine!" said Judy. "That's what you heard! It was too low for us to hear, but your ears could pick it up!"

"Exactly!" said Nick. "And who better to burrow beneath the farms than a _mole_!"

Judy remembered! She had seen the mole at the Bunny Burrow Railway Station on Wednesday, the same day Nick left for Zootopia.

"That mole, George Jenkins!" said Judy. "He must have tunnelled under the farm on Saturday night and every night afterwards! And who knows how many nights before!"

"Moles know the earth better than anyone! It's in their blood," said Nick. "So he must be the one killing the crops somehow! And I'll just bet…"

Nick walked closer to the machine and, sure enough, he saw a spraying mechanism. It was very much like an irrigation machine, but instead of water, the translucent tank was filled with…

"Bingo!" said Nick as he showed Judy the viscous, orange liquid inside the tank.

"This is it!" said Judy. "We have enough here, Nick! We can definitely use this as evidence!"

"Yes…only…"

Nick paused for a moment then continued.

"We still have no way of proving that Jenkins was the one using this machine," said Nick. "They could deny it completely and their lawyers could cook up some roundabout alibi and we'd be back to square one, if not worse."

"Oh, right," said Judy, nodding and thinking about it. "But if we were to catch him in the act…"

"…then we'd be able to show that he's the one destroying the crops," said Nick.

Judy nodded. Quickly, she took out her phone and took pictures of everything. The machine, the tunnel, and especially the chemical spraying mechanism.

"We should tell the others," said Nick. "Maybe they can help us think of a way we can tie all this to Terra Firma."

"Right," said Judy, pocketing her phone. "Come on, slick. I'm getting a little claustrophobic in here."

It was dark when Judy and Nick finally emerged from the hole. It felt good to breathe the night air and feel the moonlight shining on them. They walked back to the house, shaking off any loose dirt that got onto their clothes.

It was already bedtime for the younger Hopps children. Judy and Nick walked quietly down the corridor, heading towards their respective rooms to get clean clothes. They stopped, however, when they suddenly heard voices in the girls' room.

"Will you and Uncle Garth get married, Auntie Amber?" asked the voice of Bianca as Amber tucked her into bed.

"Yes we will, angel," said Amber.

"And will you have lots of little kids like us?" asked Maggie from her bed.

"Yes indeed," said Amber giggling.

"And will they come and play with us?" asked Isabelle from the lower bunk beneath Bianca.

"That's a D and an E and an 'efinitely," said Amber, making all the girls giggle.

Judy beckoned with her head for Nick to follow. They stood against the wall outside the room, listening to the adorable conversation.

"And will Judy and Uncle Nick get married?" asked Bianca.

Judy and Nick both felt their hearts skip. They felt warm inside.

"I'm positive they will, honey," said Amber. "And we'll all be there on their wedding day, and we'll dance and eat yummy wedding cake and sing songs for them."

"I want Judy to marry Uncle Nick," said Bianca. "I want him to come live with us and be our uncle forever and ever."

"Well, why don't you all put your paws together and make a wish at the same time?" said Amber lovingly. "Just put your paws together and say ' _I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married_ ' three times. And it will come true!"

Judy and Nick listened, holding paws, as all the little voices wished together with Amber's.

 _"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."_

 _"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."_

 _"I wish for Judy and Uncle Nick to get married."_

"Very good, girls!" said Amber delightedly. "Now, let Auntie sing you all a song. Close your eyes and listen, and you will go off to dreamland, where wishes come from."

A brief silence, and then Amber sung a sweet lullaby in a voice so tender and melodious that it immediately made Judy and Nick feel tears welling in their eyes.

 _The sun will come out tomorrow_

 _Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow_

 _There'll be sun_

 _Just thinkin' about tomorrow_

 _Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow_

 _'til there's none_

Judy and Nick hugged each other tight as they listened to the voice of their friend, so full of tenderness as she sung her lovely lullaby.

 _When I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely_

 _I just stick up my chin and grin and say oh_

 _The sun will come out tomorrow_

 _So you got to hang on 'til tomorrow, come what may!_

 _Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you tomorrow_

 _You're always a day away._

Amber's song ended. The girls were fast asleep, with looks of serenity and content on their little faces.

Amber slowly and very gently kissed each of them goodnight.

"Sweet dreams," whispered Amber.

Like an angel walking on air, she walked quietly out of the room. Then she noticed them. They were huddled together, and there were tears in their eyes.

"Oh…" said Amber.

And that was all that was said. The three of them hugged tight, sharing their warmth and affection.

If something was true of the Hopps family home, it was that there would never be a shortage of love beneath their roof.

* * *

Nick and Judy sat down with Garth, Amber, Stu and Bonnie at the kitchen table. They told them everything they had found underground.

"So that's how they were spreading the pan-dimonium acetate into the soil," said Amber. "They're using a vaporising machine to make it seep upwards through the soil. That's why all my samples had such a low concentration. They're going from the bottom upwards."

"We have to have a look at that machine," said Garth. "If we allow them to keep at it, the whole valley will be barren."

"Yes, putting the digging machine out of commission will slow down their plans," said Amber.

Garth looked at Amber with his trademark grin.

"We have to find the machine's weak spot, and…"

…destroy the Core!" finished Amber.

They laughed and high-fived. Nobody else understood their joke, but they were glad to see them so jolly.

"What about the operator?" asked Judy. "We need to show evidence that someone from Terra Firma is using that machine to destroy the crops."

"I can set up a surveillance camera," said Garth. "Wireless surveillance cameras connected to my computer in the loft. Then we can monitor the place and catch anybody going in on video."

"That would be just what we need," said Nick.

"What will we do when we find out who is operating the machine, though?" asked Bonnie. "Do we show it to the police?"

"This issue is beyond the reach of the regular police," said Amber. "I'm afraid we'll have to call the EPC."

"EPC?" asked Stu.

"Environmental Protection Corps," said Amber. "They were founded in the late 1970's as a law enforcement agency that deals with environmental crimes, exactly like this one."

"Wait a minute! The EPC!" said Nick. "Why didn't I think of it before!? I know someone who works there!"

"You do?!" asked everyone.

"Yes!" said Nick. "This will work out perfectly!"

"Tell me something, Mr Wilde," said Judy with a teasing smirk. "Is there any place where you don't have at least one somebody that you know?"

Nick smiled.

"It's my charming personality, sunshine," he said, giving her a wink. "Which you have first-paw experience with."

Judy giggled, holding his paw under the table.

"Well, I'll get busy preparing the surveillance cameras," said Garth, getting up from the table.

"And I'll call my contact at the EPC," said Nick.

"And I'll heat you both some tasty stew," said Bonnie, looking teasingly at Judy and Nick. "You might have forgotten, but I certainly didn't. You two missed supper."

And like an answer to her statement, Nick's tummy grumbled.

"Oops, hehe…looks like someone else remembers as well."

Everyone chuckled.

* * *

It was very early on Sunday morning when the train stopped at Bunny Burrow Railway Station. Judy and Nick stood there waiting. Nick's contact from the EPC was coming on the train.

"There!" said Nick.

"Where?" Judy looked, but did not distinguish anyone among the seven descending passengers.

"Come on, Carrots," said Nick, walking towards the descending passengers who were now walking away and going about their way.

Judy followed, and realised that one of the passengers was standing on the platform, holding a valise. The passenger's eyes were green, fur was red and russet, lighter under the chin. And a large bushy tail could be seen swaying slightly in the wind of the departing train.

And then Judy realised it.

"Bea!" yelled Nick, opening his arms.

"Nick!" said the passenger, a beautiful and slender young _vixen_. "Long time no see, you old rapscallion, you!"

"Thanks for coming on such short notice!"

Nick hugged the vixen and she hugged him back affectionately, laughing and nuzzling warmly.

Then Judy felt it. She didn't want to, but feelings are inevitable. A little pang, like a tiny needle pricking her, not with physical pain, but something deeper.

"Don't be silly, Judy," she said to herself in her mind, but she couldn't help feeling it. Especially as she saw the vixen hugging Nick, putting her paws all over him, rubbing his cheeks and giggling like a schoolgirl.

As Nick and the vixen walked towards her, arm in arm, Judy did her best to compose herself and smile.

"Bea, allow me to introduce you to my partner, mentor and little piece of paradise on earth, Judy Hopps," said Nick with an adoring look.

"I am so thrilled to meet you, Officer Hopps," said the vixen with a smooth and charming voice. "I've read so much about you and how you set an example to all young ladies with big expectations, myself included. I want you to know that you are my heroine. Beatrice Lorena Wilde, at your service."

Judy's ears perked up. Then it hit her. She looked into the vixen's big green eyes, and she saw something familiar. Very familiar. That look…

"Beatrice… _Wilde_?"

"Yes indeed. It's my maiden name, but I hope to change that pretty soon."

"Don't hold your breath, sunshine," said Nick with a sideways smirk.

"You cad!" laughed Bea, fake-punching him on the arm. "You haven't changed a bit, you rascal."

Nick just chuckled and gave her his trademark smirk.

"So when are you gonna get hitched and stop being such a rogue, Nick?" asked Bea.

"Oh, I'm not the one to ask," said Nick, jerking his head towards Judy teasingly, watching triumphant as his beloved bunny blushed profusely.

"It's always the doe who has to reel in the young buck, isn't it?" giggled Bea.

"Has it ever been otherwise?" said Nick.

"Not in this universe," said Bea.

They laughed.

"Do you mind if I go to the ladies' room for just a moment? Need to touch up my eye-shadow," said Bea.

"And lose some extra weight," said Nick mischievously.

"Oh, you are the worst, Nicholas Wilde!" giggled Bea, slapping his arm playfully.

"We'll get your stuff in the truck," said Nick, picking up her valise.

"Alrighty," said Bea, walking over to the ladies' room at the side of the station building.

As soon as Bea disappeared inside the ladies' room, Nick turned to Judy.

"False alarm, baby carrot cakes," said Nick with a knowing grin. "You can put your pitchfork down now."

"Huh?" asked Judy. "Whu…whaddaya mean…?"

"Oh please, don't play the dumb bunny with me, sweetheart. I can smell your jelly from a mile away, my little green-eyed imp," said Nick.

Nick leaned closer to Judy with a snarky smirk to end all smirks.

"You can untwist your knickers now, baby face," said Nick. "She's my _cousin_."

* * *

It was very early, but Gideon Gray was working away inside his bakery, getting everything ready, baking breads and pies and arranging the freshly baked rolls and loaves in woven baskets sitting on wooden shelves. He looked out the window of his bakery and noticed a truck parking outside. It belonged to the Hopps farm. From it emerged three figures: Judy Hopps, Nicholas Wilde, and a third he had never seen before…

"Morning, Gideon!" said Judy as she walked into the bakery and held the door open for Bea and Nick.

"Morning, Judy," said Gideon. "Officer Wilde, good morning."

"Morning!" said Nick and he tugged Bea towards the counter. "I'd like you to meet my cousin, Beatrice Wilde. Bea, meet Gideon Gray, the best bloomin' baker born in Bunny Burrow. And that's alliteration for you."

Bea giggled and extended her paw. Gideon smiled and extended his paw over the counter.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Wilde," said Gideon.

"Likewise, Mr Gray," said Bea. "I'd like to buy some delicious freshly-baked rolls for the Hopps family, they invited me to have breakfast with them. I am told your currant rolls are simply to die for."

"Oh, well," said Gideon shyly. "They do sell out pretty fast, so I am constantly baking more."

"Well, I shall have to taste these delicious rolls myself, then," said Bea, walking to the counter and taking a paper bag.

"Oh yes, by all means," said Gideon. "Right over there, in that basket, by the rye bread."

Bea and Judy walked over to the bread shelves to choose their purchases. Nick walked up to the counter and leaned on it, his face mischievous.

"Hey cousin," whispered Nick. "What do you think?"

"Um…about what, Officer Wilde?" asked Gideon in a low voice.

"Oh, don't play dumb fox with me, sport," said Nick. "She's quite a dish, ain't she?"

"Ah…um…well…" Gideon stumbled with his words.

"I thought so," said Nick triumphantly, leaning closer to him over the counter. "She's slowly climbing the career ladder."

"I am happy for her," said Gideon.

"She's a really fun-loving kind of gal," said Nick, "an excellent cook, and she's veeery single."

He gave Gideon a hearty wink.

"Oh, Mr Wilde, surely a lady of that stature…"

"…would go totally head-over-heels for a small town baker boy just…like…you," said Nick, jabbing his finger on Gideon's apron. "Go on, sport. You'll never know until you try."

Bea and Judy returned to the counter with their bags of bread. They paid for their purchases and thanked Gideon.

Gideon hesitated, but then mustered up the courage.

"Um…Miss Wilde?"

"Yes?" asked Bea, looking at Gideon with her arresting eyes.

"Um…I'd like to welcome you to Bunny Burrow…and give you a token of my admiration…eh, hospitality…um, a little present."

Gideon fumbled a bit, but he took a pastry box and put into it a cute little cupcake decorated like a pink bunny. He held it out for Bea, who smiled delightedly and accepted it.

"How very kind of you, Mr Gray!" said Bea. "I do hope to see you again before I return to the city."

"Um…coff…cofff…."

"I beg your pardon?" asked Bea.

"Co…coffee!" blurted Gideon. "Coffee, and pie. Pumpkin pie, it's in season and I am baking them."

Before he realised it, he had invited her to have coffee and pie. Bea's face lit up.

"I would be delighted, Mr Gray!" said Bea. "This afternoon, perhaps? At five?"

"Yes!" said Gideon.

"Then so it shall be," said Bea. "I shall see you later, Mr Gray!"

"Yes," said Gideon. "Have a very nice morning, Miss Wilde!"

As Bea and Judy exited the bakery, Nick walked behind them. Before he walked out the door, he turned to Gideon and gave him a sly wink, then did the bow-and-arrow sign with his paws.

Gideon stood there stunned, looking into empty space as the Hopps farm truck drove away.

* * *

Breakfast was a cheerful affair! Everybody was around the table enjoying the hot warm treats. Garth and Kevin had been working on assembling cameras in the loft. Garth showed Kevin how to disassemble a laptop computer and take the camera out, when assemble a wireless camera that would transmit the feed directly to his computer in the loft. Kevin had learned a great deal with his Uncle Garth and was very enthusiastic about learning more about computers.

Penny had been helping her Auntie Amber prepare a solution of sodium chloride in the right proportion to neutralise the pan-dimonium acetate and prevent the lands from suffering further damage. They tested their solution on a sample of soil from the Benteen farm, and it worked. The results were looking good.

Beatrice Lorena Wilde became immediately loved by the children. They were enthralled to have so many new uncles and aunts, all of them so nice and funny. Bea was every bit as charming and gracious as their Uncle Nick, only in female form.

"So this is what we've uncovered so far, Bea," said Judy as they sipped their coffee, showing her all the evidence they had gathered.

"This is indeed very serious," said Bea in a grave voice. "The perpetrators are certainly looking at a lifetime sentence. This is a heinous crime."

"We haven't been able to get hard evidence of them actually doing it, though," said Nick. "Our computer expert and his assistant, Garth and Kevin over there, are working on it."

Garth and Kevin waved from across the table.

"That would be just what you'd need," said Bea. "If you can catch them in the act, that will definitely bring them down. Their lawyers won't be able to do any of their legal mumbo-jumbo hocus-pocus if you catch them dead to rights."

She took a portable flash drive from her purse and gave it to Judy.

"Copy everything you have and I will show it to the head of my department tomorrow," said Bea. "We will initiate an investigation and we'll get to the bottom of this."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Stu went to answer the door. It was Uncle Terry.

"Morning, Stu," said Uncle Terry. "I'm passing down the news. Emergency meeting at the town hall. We need to talk about the crisis and agree on what to do, before winter kicks in."

Uncle Terry gave Stu all the details of the meeting. Stu nodded.

"Thanks, Terry," said Stu. "We'll be there as soon as possible."

As Uncle Terry left, Stu called Penny and Peter and the other older siblings.

"Kids, you're responsible for the house while we're gone," said Stu. "You know what to do."

"Yes, daddy," said Penny.

"Sure, pa," said Peter.

"This meeting is for all the grown-ups," said Stu. "Take care of your little siblings while we're gone."

"We will, pa."

Stu ruffled his children's heads and went to tell everyone else the news.

* * *

Meanwhile, two hundred and eleven miles away, in a high-rise penthouse high above Zootopia, Preston Keyes, President of Terra Firma Incorporated, was sipping a cocktail and standing before a large glass window that occupied an entire wall. Behind him, a large door opened and two bodyguards stepped in. And after the bodyguards, a small mole wearing thick glasses and a business suit.

"Y-you asked to s-see me, Mr President, sir?" asked the mole, George Jenkins.

"Yes, Jenkins," said the rabbit. "Have you gotten any answers from the Bunny Burrow farms yet?"

"N-No, none at all, sir," said Jenkins. "Not one of them responded to our offers."

"Most unusual," said President Keyes, sipping his drink. "None of the other farms wasted any time in selling. Their signed agreements were on your desk the following day. Why is Bunny Burrow taking so long?"

"S-Sir, Bunny Burrow is one of the oldest farming towns, sir. I believe they might be reluctant to selling and changing their ways," said Jenkins.

"Charming, but futile," said President Keyes. "Change is inevitable. The strong and bold bring about change, weeding out the unfit from society. We are the future, Jenkins. We must take the rudder and make this boat sail towards progress."

"Of course, sir," said Jenkins.

"Perhaps a little…persuasion…is in order," said President Keyes.

"P-Persuasion, sir?"

"Yes. A mere public relations move, nothing serious. Something to dissipate the doubts and convince those retrograde country bumpkins that it is time to move on," said President Keyes. "You will contact the mayor over there at Bunny Burrow, and organise a conference. I shall personally present myself and speak to the people. After all, when one wishes to be influential and powerful, one must know how to deal with the plebeians."

"Y-Yes, sir," said Jenkins. "It shall be done."

"Good," said President Keyes. "That will be all, Jenkins."

"Yes..." said Jenkins, and hesitated before speaking again. "Um, sir…if I may ask…would it be acceptable…that is to say…"

"Speak up, Jenkins, my time is precious," said President Keyes, sipping his drink.

"Well…do you think I could…just for a few minutes…speak to my family? Just to reassure them that I'm alright."

"Patience, Jenkins," said President Keyes. "Patience is a quality that will help you immensely in life. Do as I told you, organise the conference at Bunny Burrow, and I will let you spend a day with your family."

"A… _day_?" stammered Jenkins. "A _whole day_ , sir?"

"Yes, under supervision, naturally," said President Keyes with a nasty expression on his face. "And within limits."

"Of course, sir! Of course," said Jenkins. "I shall carry out your wishes immediately."

"Good. There's a good boy," said President Keyes as he swished his drink around in the glass, looking at the city below him. "Now run along. Call me when all the arrangements have been made."

"Yes, sir," said Jenkins, and he quickly left the room.

As the door closed again, President Keyes took his phone and dialled a number.

"Yes, Herb? Move the Jenkinses to my summer home," said President Keyes. "That's right. No, no, no need to let him know. I'll tell him myself when the time is right. Yes. Let me know when it's done."

And he hung up.


	5. Critical Point

All the adults were standing in front of the town hall. Judy, Nick, Mr and Mrs Hopps, Amber and Garth, Uncle Terry and his wife Daisy, and Beatrice Lorena Wilde.

"Well, shall we?" said Stu and they walked up the front steps towards he building.

Judy and Nick lagged behind a little.

"I'll let you make the introductions, Carrots," whispered Nick. "You know your townsfolk better than I do."

"Everyone, this is Nick Wilde, high in nine essential nutrients. Because apparently snark is a nutrient now," chuckled Judy as she and Nick walked arm-in-arm up the steps.

"Be serious," whispered Nick.

"And for only twelve payments of nineteen ninety-nine, you can take home your very own Nick Wilde," whispered Judy mischievously. "He cooks, he cleans, he entertains...and who know what other talents he might be hidin' behind that beguiling smile."

She gave him a hearty wink.

"Accessories sold separately, batteries not included."

"Don't make me kiss you in front of everyone," said Nick through his teeth, his eyes narrowed.

"Are you threatening me, Mr Wilde?" asked Judy with a saucy grin.

"No, I'm tempting you," answered Nick with equal cheek.

As they walked into the meeting hall, they saw that it was packed. Most of Bunny Burrow was there. They were sitting on wooden chairs, all facing a stage which was empty except for a podium and four chairs.

The Hoppses and their guests took their seats near the door. Several residents looked at Nick and Bea with suspicion, whispering behind their paws. Garth didn't cause too much of a fuss. Amber was far too beautiful for anyone to take notice that she was a coyote, second only to foxes on the scale of mistrust.

One of the oldest neighbours, Old Cletus Hareington, was talking loudly as he sat. His wife and his eldest sons looked somewhat abashed, but they nodded in agreement.

He caught sight of the Hoppses and his ears perked up.

"Stuart Hopps!" he said.

"Good mornin', Cletus," said Stu.

"It's a mornin', but it certainly ain't a good one!" barked Cletus. "All our carrots plumb dead! Our pumpkins fat one day and deflated like balloons the next! This is worse than the black rot o' '67."

"I beg to differ, Mr Hareington," said a young adult rabbit to his far left, one of the older McCottons. "Back then the town was far more alone. Now we have the means to ask the neighbouring towns for help…"

"Help? Bah!" yelled Cletus. "Ain't nobody gonna give us no help! We don't need outsiders stickin' their paws in our 'ffairs! At times like this, like calls to like, blood sticks to blood."

"Mr Hareington," said a sheep to his far right. "In times of hardship and need, we must let go of our pride…"

"Hardship! Cotton rot! You fire eatin' young bucks don't know a thing about the hard times! Why, back in 1955 when the frost lasted into June, we had to live off our school books for a week before the first wild shoots pushed up from the ground!"

Cletus stood on his chair, waving his cane around.

"What's gonna happen when everyone gets hungry and push comes to shove and the meat-eaters of yore come huffin' and puffin' on our doors, kindly tell me?"

"Now, Cletus, you're talkin' nonsense!" said his wife. "You hush up now, that was uncalled for!"

"Ain't no bunny been born yet that'll make me hush up!" snapped Cletus. "What'll you do, Abner, when the Grays come knocking on your door, fixin' for some lamb chops?"

"Cletus! Enough! You're just spoutin' nonsense to get people argufying!"

"Whatcha gonna do, Abner?" said Cletus, looking at an elderly sheep across the room. "When Mama Gray comes knockin' on your door with a stew pot in her claws."

"Cletus! Watch your words! The Grays are standing right over there," said Stu, standing up.

Gideon Gray and his folks were standing near the corner, looking very uncomfortable. Judy and Nick looked at them and saw them huddling together, as if for protection.

"Hah! All the better! Tell me, son, how many bruises on my grandchildren were put there by you?" he looked directly at Gideon.

"Mr Hareington, I am very sorry for my past behaviour," said Gideon, looking at the floor. "I have done my best to make amends ever since I took over the family business."

"Cotton rot! You Grays were always big fat bullies! Your old man was a bully, and his old man was a bully too, let me tell you! Like father like son!"

"Now, Cletus! This time you've gone too far!" said Stu, walking a few paces towards his neighbour with Bonnie beside him, ready to support her husband. "Leave Gideon alone!"

"Ha! Says the one whose daughter traipses about with a fox!"

Judy's ears perked up. She immediately stood up and held Nick's arm defensively, as if showing the whole town that she didn't care what they thought.

"It's bad enough with the Grays havin' to breathe the same air as us! But shifty city slickers comin' into our town…"

"Not one word about Officer Nicholas Wilde, Cletus!" said Stu, clenching his fist.

"I'll speak all the words that nobody else will!" shouted Cletus.

"Don't you dare!" warned Stu.

"I'll lay it out for you and everyone else! This town's going plumb to hell!"

"Watch your mouth, Cletus!" yelled Uncle Terry, walking up beside Stu with his fists clenched. "There are ladies present!"

"Then let 'em hear! This town is going plumb to hell! And your daughter, Stu Hopps, is the seed of it all!"

Judy felt a rush of anger creeping up her body.

"You take that back!" shouted Stu.

"Puttin' liberal city ideas in all our youngsters' heads!" continued Cletus. "Becomin' a cop, madness enough! But inter-matin' with a fox! That's the last straw! Free love, that's what they call it today! Pair up with anyone, it don't matter what kind! It's madness, deviancy..!"

"Not one more word, Cletus!" roared Uncle Terry as he and Stu walked slowly towards him, their fists tight as stone.

"Or you'll what? You gonna make me hush up?! No bunny yet born has made me hush up!"

"Then I'll be the first!" growled Stu. "You don't insult my family and walk away with all your teeth! Nicholas Wilde is an officer and a gentlefox! He saved our family farm and my youngest daughter's life! Anyone who offends him offends my family!"

"You've got a skewed idea of family, Stu Hopps, lettin' riff-raff intermix with your flesh and blood!"

"You wanna take this outside!?" bellowed Uncle Terry.

"Anytime, buster! Put 'em up!"

The shouting match was interrupted by the door bursting open and a rush of cold air blowing into the room. Sheriff Donovan Shepard and his deputies, Old Ben and Barkins, walked into the room. Holding Sheriff Shepard's arm was Nana Bernardine. Everyone went quiet.

"Apologies for our tardiness," said Donovan Shepard.

He walked into the room and immediately noticed Nick.

"Officer Wilde," said the Sheriff, tipping his hat and shaking Nick's paw. "A pleasure to have you with us this morning."

The whole room was silent as they watched Shepard and Nick shake paws. This gesture changed the atmosphere completely. Then Nana Bernardine gave Nick a hug. The silence was absolute.

Cletus, frowning, spoke up.

"I wouldn't have expected it from you, Shep."

"I am well aware, Cletus," said Sheriff Shepard, turning to him, "of your thoughts concerning certain folks in this community. What you do and say on your farm and in your home is your business. But when you're in town, were I am in charge, you will keep a civil tongue in your head, and you will refrain from hurling unwarranted insults at your neighbours. Otherwise, I will be forced to make use of the authority vested in me as sheriff of this county and lock you up for a night."

"Now see here, Shep," said Cletus, no longer shouting. "Your pa was a good sheriff, and so was his pa. I have mad respect for the Shepard family."

"And I appreciate it, don't think I don't. And to that I add the following: I would place my paws in the fire for Officer Nicholas Wilde," said Shepard. "He is an example of integrity, valour and honesty, everything a police officer must be."

"And I would jump into a lake in mid-January for Officer Wilde," said old Nana Bernardine. "If it hadn't been for his invaluable help in solving the case of the carnival hypnotist, which you are all here no doubt aware of, I would have been wrongfully imprisoned along with several other innocent folk, some of which are here present this morning."

She looked affectionately at Amber, whom she recognised from the papers.

"Officer Wilde is the most deserving of our trust in the whole wide world, and I want it understood in no uncertain terms that I would entrust my life into his paws."

Everyone was quiet as a tomb. They all respected and loved Nana Bernardine. She was the oldest member of the community and her opinion was treated with deference. Judy hugged Nick's arm tight as she felt everyone's eyes on her and Nick.

"Go ahead," she thought to herself, looking at Cletus. "Say something, you old windbag."

But he didn't. Not for a long while. Then finally…

"Alright," said Cletus. "I know when I'm beat. Out of respect to my oldest childhood friend, dear Nana Bernardine, I'll concede. I'll hold my tongue and let you whippersnappers do what you have to do."

"Much obliged," said Shepard.

The people waited in silence as Sheriff Shepard helped Nana Bernardine up onto the stage and pulled up a chair for her. Then Old Ben and Barkins sat at either side of Nana Bernardine, and Shepard took his place at the podium, and the meeting began.

* * *

Preston Keyes was lazing off on his sofa, looking out the window of his penthouse. He casually turned the pages of a magazine, looking at the pictures but not reading the actual articles. His phone rang suddenly, and he picked up.

"Are the arrangements done?" asked Preston.

"Yes, sir," said the voice of George Jenkins. "I've arranged everything. The mayor himself will be receiving you at his residence."

"Good," said Preston. "Have Jacques bring the car around. And prepare my luggage. We're leaving in an hour."

"An hour…sir?"

"That is correct," said Preston and hung up, reclining comfortably on his sofa and leaving his underlings to sort out the details.

* * *

"…which is why I implore all of you, my dear fellow townspeople, to put aside any petty prejudices and stand together in the face of this crisis," said Judy on the podium, giving a speech for her townspeople. "We were all affected, and it's time to stand together, like our foremothers and forefathers and several of the senior citizens here present did in 1967. My father told all of us how the town stood together during the black rot crisis of '67 and everyone helped each other. It was a historical milestone and showed that it doesn't matter who you are, what matters is what you do for those around you, for those who need you."

She finished. Everyone was silent as they listened to the words of Officer Judy Hopps, the star of the county, as Old Ben would put it.

Then, Nana Bernardine began clapping her paws, and immediately the whole room followed suit.

"Thank you, Officer Hopps," said Donovan Shepard and saluted her with reverence. Judy saluted him back, with a tiny tear of emotion in her eye.

As Judy walked off the stage and back to her seat, her neighbours congratulated her silently as she walked by.

"All of the here present will surely agree that the younger generations are our future," said Sheriff Shepard, once again taking the microphone. "We must set an example for them every day. And it pleases me to say that Officer Hopps and her family, one of the oldest and most upstanding families of Bunny Burrow, serve as a living example of her noble words."

Everyone looked at the Hoppses and their guests: bunnies, foxes, coyote and opossum, all together and united like a solid chain in the face of this crisis. It made everyone reflect upon the words that Judy had spoken earlier.

"I am proposing a committee," said Shepard. "An emergency committee which shall be formed by citizens of this town. Anyone who wishes to become a member shall step forward and present themselves, and the town shall vote. Among the responsibilities of this committee, the primary one shall be raising funds to help those most affected by the crisis, which shall be deposited in a bank account designated for that purpose and the number of which shall be of public knowledge. All essential resources to survive the winter shall be purchased with those funds. Any person who wishes to donate may do so to that account, and the breakdown of all expenses shall be published in the Bunny Burrow Journal at the end of every week."

Several nods of approval and some applause.

"Excuse me, Sheriff," said a lovely, feminine voice in the back.

Everyone looked around and saw the dazzling figure of Amber, standing in the aisle with her paw raised.

"May I please be granted permission to speak to the town?" asked Amber politely.

Shepard had to shake himself a little to snap out of the trance of seeing such a beautiful figure.

"Of course, dear lady," said Shepard. "By all means."

Amber moved gracefully along the aisle, with everyone looking at her as she walked. She walked up the steps of the stage and Shepard offered his paw and helped her onto the podium.

"Honoured citizens of this lovely town of Bunny Burrow," said Amber in a voice so enthralling that it made the whole room fall silent. So silent that they could hear the October wind swaying the branches of trees outside. "My name is Amber Beverly Latrans, and I work as a Forensic Specialist at the Zootopia Police Department, and I am proud and honoured to be the colleague of the distinguished Officers Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde."

Several people looked at Judy and Nick.

"Not very long ago," continued Amber. "I was wrongfully accused of a crime, in the exact same circumstances that our dear Nana Bernardine was," she looked affectionately at the old Nana, who smiled back, delighted by the sight of such a young and beautiful lassie, "and would have been sitting in a prison cell, were it not for the brave and cunning efforts of Officers Hopps and Wilde. That event was a life-changer for me, and I decided to become a police forensics specialist inspired by their courageous example. And now, I wish to pay my debt to them in some way, shape or form, by helping you kind townsfolk in this time of great crisis."

She paused, allowing the people to reflect on her words.

"Bunny Burrow is a wonderful community, and since my arrival here, I have been treated like a sister, daughter and friend," said Amber, looking lovingly at the Hoppses. "If a city girl and an outsider like me can feel welcome in the bosom of your lovely town, then surely you who have lived here all your lives can come together and help each other in this time of great need. We are all facing this crisis together. There is no _us_ and _them_. It's just _we,_ and _we_ must stand united and leave behind the mistakes of our ancestors, complementing each other, being all members of the same RPG party and working together to defeat the evil and overcome the hardships ahead of us."

The townsfolk were touched by her words. Even Cletus was silent and brooding, listening without twitching a muscle.

"I have isolated the cause of your problems. For very important reasons, I cannot disclose the full details at this moment, but you have my word of honour that you shall all learn the whole story when the time is right. For now, what you must know is that your lands have been impoverished and devoid of essential nutrients for your crops to grow. Nitrogen, so important to the development of plants, has been almost completely depleted from your lands."

There were some murmurs, heads huddled together, but everyone went silent as Amber began to speak again.

"The solution to this crisis is a simple one, but it shall require all of your help. My assistant and I have successfully discovered how to stop any further damage to your soil," said Amber, and the Hoppses all smiled, knowing that she meant Penny. "We shall need to ask each and every one of you to help. In order to stop any further damage, salt water shall be required, and your irrigation systems. We must irrigate all your fields with a solution of salt in a specific concentration. I can personally oversee this operation if you will allow me to help each farm that has been affected. Together, we can cure your lands and make them fertile once more."

Silence, and sudden applause. Everyone was enthralled and immediately convinced. Amber smiled, realising that she was quite the orator.

The meeting went on for a while, more proposals were made, and in the end everyone seemed to agree on the most important items.

At the end of the meeting, everyone walked out of the town hall and went back to their respective homes. Gideon Gray said hello to the Hopps family and was about to return to his bakery, when a warm paw held his arm back.

"Mr Gray," said the charming voice of Beatrice Lorena Wilde. "I'd like to take you up on that coffee and pie, if you don't have any inconvenient."

Gideon turned to meet the green eyes of Bea and his tongue seemed to get stuck in his throat.

"Um…uh…sure," said Gideon. "A little earlier…than expected…"

"All the better!" said Bea, hugging his arm and leading him briskly towards his bakery. "More time to chat and enjoy the day, I say!"

As Bea and Gideon walked away towards the bakery, Judy watched them as she held Nick's arm, standing in front of the town hall.

"Sly fox," she said to him.

Nick gave her a warm smile and they walked down the sidewalk to join the rest of the family.

* * *

Amber and Penny were at the McCotton farm. The McCottons were helping them with the irrigation machine. As Penny and Amber adjusted the machine to spray their solution of sodium chloride over the fields, a young buck came walking to the side of the machine, removing his hat. He was creamy-brown and his eyes were dark-grey.

"Miss Penelope Hopps," he said shyly.

Penny turned around and immediately her cheeks flushed.

"Charles McCotton," she said.

Amber looked at them both and instantly understood what was happening. She smiled delightedly.

Charlie McCotton turned to her.

"Miss Latrans," he said. "I would like to thank you and Penny…er…Penelope, on behalf of my family, for your help. We were all very moved by your words, and we just want you to know that anything that you may require, you have only to ask."

He sounded like he had rehearsed the lines ten times before speaking them to the ladies. Amber took his paw, and Penny took the other.

"We're all one big family," said Amber in her charming voice. "And family shares love, and we help each other in times of need."

Then she took Penny's paw and placed it in Charlie's paw, and held them there purposefully. Both bunnies blushed like mad.

"Penny, dear, why don't you help Charlie install the dosifier and show him how the regulators should be placed?" she said. "I'll take care of the pressure controls and let you know when everything is ready."

"Sure, Auntie Amber," said Penny.

The two females looked at each other and shared a wink of complicity. Penny was overjoyed to have a friend who understood and encouraged her.

"C'mon, Charlie," said Penny, tugging her sweetheart's paw. "Let's get your fields back to tip-top shape."

Amber watched happily as the two bunnies walked together to the other side of the machine, then continued to adjust the instruments inside the cabin.

* * *

Garth and Kevin were done installing the cameras. They were camouflaged in tree branches with a direct line of sight to the hole in the ground, which they had covered once again with a carpet of fake ground.

"Okie-dokie," said Garth as he and Kevin returned to the loft of the barn to activate the surveillance system. "Let's get the system online."

Garth typed in commands and paused. Then he turned to Kevin.

"Kev, would you do the honours?" said Garth.

"Sure thing, Uncle Garth," said Kevin, and he pressed the ENTER key with his little paw.

A progress bar flashed for a few seconds, and…

"Success!" said Garth as he saw the images of the clearing in live feed.

He turned to Kevin and they high-fived!

"Kevin Levin Little Colt! Faster than a lightning bolt!" chanted Garth and Kevin beamed. "Well done, partner!"

"Thanks, Uncle Garth!"

They could see the whole clearing and could zoom in on the spot where the hole was to see clearly if anyone approached it.

"Now what do we do, Uncle Garth?"

"Now we wait," said Garth, "and see if we catch us a bad guy in our trap."

* * *

Judy stood at the mouth of the hole in the clearing beside Garth and Amber. She had installed a makeshift well-head above the pit and a pulley with rope to help them descend. Nick was making sure the rope was secure. Garth and Amber were behind Judy, waiting for them to finish their preparations.

"All set," said Judy, putting a headlamp on her head.

"Great. Everyone ready?" asked Nick.

Amber and Garth looked at each other.

"Well, I've got my Gyro Gearloose Patented Portable Chem Kit," said Amber.

"And I've my Gadget Hackwrench Essential Compact Tool Kit," said Garth.

"Let's do it to it!" they said in unison, making a complicated paw sign and ending in a fist-bump.

Judy giggled and Nick chuckled.

"Like two peas in a pod," said Judy.

"Ain't life grand?" said Nick.

Garth was the first to descend along the rope. Amber, Nick and Judy slowly lowered him down until they felt him touch the bottom.

Amber descended next, and finally Judy. Nick remained on the surface to keep watch.

Judy switched her headlamp on and walked in front, illuminating the path for the others. She led them to where she and Nick had found the burrowing machine. It was still there.

"Okay," said Judy. "This is it."

"Great," said Amber. "Leave the rest to us."

They took out their tools and started working.

"Let's just unplug this tube for a spell…" murmured Garth as he worked.

"…and mix these two beauties," murmured Amber as she worked with her portable chemical kit.

Judy made sure they got plenty of light as they worked. Garth dismantled a section of the machine's engine and Amber poured in an oily red chemical that she had made by combining some other chemicals in her kit. Garth then sealed the engine up as it had been and they gathered their things.

"All set?" asked Judy.

"Yup," said Garth.

"When whoever he is switches on that machine, he'll have a nasty surprise," said Amber.

Up on the surface, Nick saw two familiar figures approaching. Bonnie Hopps and his cousin Bea were walking towards him. Nick smiled as they came to his side and greeted him.

"So, how was coffee at Gideon's?" asked Nick.

"Oh, just wonderful," said Bea. "Such a gentlefox, that Gideon."

"Glad to hear," said Nick. "I bet he'll whip up a killer wedding cake."

"Oh, you rascal!" said Bea, slapping him playfully on the arm.

Nick just gave her his teasing smile.

"So, are you still fixing on taking the evening train?"

"Yup," said Bea. "Garth gave me all the files and video evidence you've collected. There is definitely enough to begin an investigation. I'll take this to the head of my department and we'll look into it."

"I'm sure you'll earn yourself a nice promotion in the process," said Nick.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed," said Bea.

Suddenly, Nick felt a tug on the rope he was holding in his right paw. He pulled it up slowly and up came Judy. Nick helped her onto solid ground, and then they helped up Amber, and finally Garth. Once everyone was above ground, Judy removed the makeshift well-head and they carried the parts back to the house. Garth made sure the hole was convincingly camouflaged and they left the clearing.

"Now for the fun part," said Garth. "Watching the unsuspecting culprit spring the trap."

They went back to the house and got cleaned up. Bonnie went to the kitchen to get supper going. Bea offered to help her and they both got busy, chattering happily.

Everyone settled in the living room to wait for supper. Penny and Amber sat on the sofa, reading a science magazine that Amber had brought with her. Stu and Nick sat down at the game table, playing cribbage. Judy was helping Maggie with her math homework. And sitting close to the fireplace, Garth was reading a book with Bianca.

"So you see," said Garth. "The Lilliputian emperor commanded all Lilliputians to break their cooked eggs on the small end first. But the people of Blefuscu accused them of breaking an ancient sacred law in doing this. And so that was the beginning of a long war between the two nations."

"I think that's silly, Uncle Garth," said Bianca.

"You think so?"

"Yes," said Bianca. "Why fight over something so silly? Why don't they just talk about it and agree to make a deal, instead of fighting?"

"Ahh, Bianca, you are very young but very wise," said Garth. "That is indeed the best way to solve problems. Sitting down together and talking. Ah, if only more people thought like you."

And then, in one of those still silences, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," said Stu, getting up from his game of cribbage with Nick and walking to the front door.

It was Uncle Terry.

"Stu," said Terry. "The mayor has called for a meeting tonight, at eight o'clock."

"Another meeting?" asked Stu.

"This one's different. It's more…official, or something," said Uncle Terry. "From what I understood, some business tycoon from the city is coming into town and he's having a conference at the city hall."

Judy's ears perked up. So did Nick's.

"On a Sunday evening?" asked Stu, puzzled.

"I'm just passing on the news," said Uncle Terry. "I reckon we ought to go and see what it's all about."

"Alright," said Stu. "I'll let everyone know. Thanks."

"See you at eight, Stu."

Judy turned around and looked at Nick from across the room, and they immediately read each other's minds. He was stepping his game up, this Preston Keyes. This would be a perfect opportunity to study the enemy.

* * *

The train arrived on time. It was 7 o'clock when Bea stood with her valise on the platform. Stu, Bonnie, Judy and Nick all stood there to see her off.

"Thank you for your help, dear," said Bonnie.

"I hope to help a lot more once I get home," said Bea, patting her breast-pocket. They knew what she meant: she was carrying copies of all the evidence in her portable flash drive.

"We hope you'll come visit us again soon," said Stu.

"Most definitely, Mr Hopps," said Bea. "You've all given me plenty of reasons to come and visit Bunny Burrow as often as I can."

"I can think of one big fat reason," said Nick, giving her a teasing wink. Everyone chuckled, knowing what he meant.

"Oh, Nick," said Bea, rolling her eyes. "There's a difference between fat and big-boned."

"Yup," said Nick. "One's the truth, the other's an excuse."

"You are impossible," said Bea, hugging her cousin. "I'll keep in touch."

"Have a safe trip, Bea!" said Judy.

"Will do!" said Bea, waving as she got onto the train. "See you all again soon!"

The train left. The Hoppses and Nick went back to the house to get ready for the 8 'clock meeting at the town hall.

"I wonder what he's playing at," said Judy as she and Nick waited for Bonnie and Stu in the living room, sitting close together on the sofa.

"Public relations stunt," said Nick. "I'm sure his speech will be just dripping with honey and he'll try and convince your townsfolk that he's a benefactor and wants only the best for the world."

"We'd better keep our eyes peeled and our ears open," said Judy.

"And our wits sharp," said Nick. "Whatever stunt he's trying to pull, we have to make sure the town doesn't buy it. Otherwise, he'll end up buying the town."

"Yeah," said Judy, shuddering at the prospect of her hometown being taken over by a ruthless capitalist.

* * *

Kevin Hopps was sitting in the loft, reading a comic book that Garth had lent him. He was keeping watch in case the cameras that he had helped his Uncle Garth install caught anybody walking towards the hole in the clearing.

Suddenly, a beep-beeping sound came from Garth's computer. It was the signal. Kevin looked at the screen and saw someone moving towards the hole.

"Uncle Garth!" yelled Kevin, walking to the edge of the loft and waving at the opossum, who was down on the ground talking with Auntie Amber and Penny. "We got something!"

"Comin' up!" said Garth as he gracefully climbed up the ladder to the loft.

Amber and Penny followed, climbing up the ladder and getting up to the loft just as Garth sat on his computer chair and clicked the RECORD button on his camera software.

"Well, hellooow Mister Mole," said Garth as the four of them watched the screen. "I doubt very much you're spring-cleaning your hole."

They watched as George Jenkins, the mole, looked around to make sure he was alone, and uncovered the hole. He climbed down using his claws, sinking them into the side of the hole and descending with ease.

Down in the tunnel, George Jenkins removed his spectacles and walked straight to the digging machine. He was completely at home underground, being a mole. He got to the machine and sat in the driver's seat, turning the key and switching on the levers. Then he reached for a gas mask which was stashed beneath the seat and wore it, breathing in deeply as he activated the digging mechanism.

"One more town," said Jenkins as he put the machine in motion. "Just one more, and then we'll all move far away, to St Canard or somewhere he'll never find us."

Jenkins suddenly felt a rumbling beneath his seat.

"Huh?"

And suddenly, white smoke started pouring out of the engine.

"No!" said Jenkins. "No, no, no, not now!"

Loud popping noises followed, and the engine stopped. Then it caught fire.

The smoke was starting to fill the tunnel. Jenkins ran for it, abandoning his task and heading back towards the exit of the hole.

He climbed up out of the hole and onto the surface once more, taking off his gas mask and breathing in the cold, clean night air.

"Oh no!" he said to himself after he had taken a few deep breaths. "What am I gonna do now? What am I gonna tell him?"

He paced around in a circle in the moonlit clearing, talking to himself.

"Mr Keyes, the machine had a little problem…no, no, no….Um…Mr President, sir, we may have a slight delay…no, no, he can't stand delays," wailed Jenkins as he rehearsed what he would say to his boss. "Mr President, sir, we might have to consider rescheduling certain goals…no! He'll kill us!"

Jenkins started trembling. His paws went to his face, and a look of grief replaced his fearful expression.

"I…can't…I won't!" said Jenkins after a while. "Yes, that's it! I won't tell him. He's not going to come down here and check for himself. He'll never know. I'll just say…mission accomplished. And that's it. And everything will be okay."

Jenkins made up his mind and walked away from the clearing, disappearing in the woods beyond, completely unaware that in the loft of a barn not far away, Garth had recorded him, including every single word of his conversation with himself.

* * *

There were fewer people at the 8 o'clock meeting than there had been that morning. Judy and Nick walked behind Mr and Mrs Hopps as they entered the building and found a seat near the middle. Several people who had been at the meeting that morning were present. Cletus Hareington glanced at them and nodded, not smiling, and giving Nick a clear look of disapproval. They said nothing, just nodded in acknowledgement.

Sheriff Shepard was near the stage, standing beside his deputies Old Ben and Barkins. Nana Bernardine was sitting in the front row with Mama McCotton and her older daughters.

As everyone found a seat and settled down, two rabbits walked onto the stage from the backroom. They were the Mayor of Bunny Burrow and his assistant. The Mayor stood on the podium. Everyone went quiet and looked at the stage, waiting for what was coming.

Mayor Honeysuckle, a greying brown rabbit with a waistcoat and a golden pocket watch, welcomed everyone to the meeting. Then after a few words, he introduced the guest of the evening: President Preston Keyes of Terra Firma Incorporated.

Everyone watched as a white rabbit with an impeccable business suit and a self-confident expression walked onto the stage. They could see that he was a rabbit who was accustomed to giving orders and having his way. Several low murmurs were heard.

"A very good evening to you, my fellow bunnies and respected folks of this lovely town," said Preston Keyes with a voice dripping with syrup.

Judy saw with satisfaction that many of her townsfolk didn't look convinced. City rabbits always caused a certain amount of suspicion among country rabbits. They believed that rabbits raised in the city were spoiled and conceited and lacked the values that good folk from the countryside learned from hard work and toil in the fields and being raised by a numerous and tradition-keeping family. City rabbits were soft-pawed and soft-witted, the older rabbits said.

"It is with great pleasure that I stand here tonight," said President Keyes. "My firm started as a single room in a dingy corner of an office building, just me and my partner working long hours into the night, striving to make a better tomorrow…"

Nobody looked convinced. One look at his clothes and demeanour made the good people of Bunny Burrow doubt very much he had ever known the first thing about hardship.

"I have heard of your troubles," went on President Keyes, "and was moved by your plight. Tonight, I am here to propose a solution to all your hardships. One that will help move Bunny Burrow into the future, and make you become the new model for an exemplary farming community."

Several of the older bunnies murmured in disapproval. They already considered themselves an exemplary farming town. Who did this two-bit city slicker think he was insinuating the contrary?

"I know the prospect of progress and advancement is daunting, but as my firm has proven time and time again, our new model has revolutionised agriculture and made life easier for both farmers and consumers alike."

Two city hall employees brought in a white screen and a BunnQ projector, and shortly an image of the 'model farms' that Keyes was talking about appeared on the screen via the projector.

"Twenty-one farms have already implemented the revolutionary new method, and the results have been staggering," said President Keyes as he showed them a complicated graph chart that meant little to nothing to the humble folks of Bunny Burrow. "Better crops, more abundant, less strain on the soil, and with far less work and effort than the traditional method. It's a win-win scenario for all."

"It's a win-win for you, buster!" came a loud voice from the audience.

Everyone turned and saw Cletus Hareington standing on his chair.

"But where's the catch, kindly tell us all!" said Cletus.

"My dear sir," said President Keyes smoothly. "I understand your concern and reticence, it is natural to feel apprehensive before a new and innovative prospect such as that which my firm is proposing."

"Don't you spew fancy words and try to muddle everybody up, mister!" yelled Cletus. "When something's too good to be true, it's 'cause it ain't true!"

Several people murmured in approval. Judy looked at Nick, reading his mind.

"Wise words there," whispered Nick.

"Totally," said Judy, remembering that Nick had said the same not long ago.

"I understand your position, dear sir," said President Keyes. "I assure you, I have only your best interest in my heart when I say that this project shall benefit both parts mutually."

Bonnie Hopps had an idea. She quietly moved away from her seat and hid behind a large old ram, then spoke loudly in a slurred voice.

"I heard you done bought up all them farms and kicked out the owners! Is that true?"

Judy and Nick noticed a twitch in Preston Keyes's face. He was caught.

"Um…dear lady…" said President Keyes, looking in a general direction, as he had not seen who had spoken. "The lands were indeed purchased by our firm…but the residents were not evicted, that is a false rumour raised by our competitors. I assure you everybody shall be free to live on their land for as long as they like and work in association with our firm…"

"Well, ain't that just dandy!" shouted Cletus loudly, playing to the crowd. "He's giving us permission to live on _our_ land! Ain't that just the nicest thing in the world?!"

Several voices, now encouraged, spoke up. Judy noticed that Sheriff Shepard and his deputies did not make any move to stop Cletus or the neighbours from speaking. For once, they were in full agreement with Cletus and did not like the sound of this city rabbit's plan at all.

"Well, I'll hear no more of this tommyrot!" said Cletus. "I say you take your fancy clothes and words and all your tomfoolery with you, Mister Fancy-Pants, and go on back to your big ol' fancy rich city-slicker condo or penthouse or whatever and leave this town to its owners who know a darn thing or twenty 'bout putting seeds in the ground and makin' good crops! Go on! Git!"

The crowd was getting riled up. Several people booed and told President Keyes to get lost. President Keyes took his phone out and spoke to someone. Immediately, the door to the hall opened and three enormous grizzly bears walked down the aisle and to the stage, escorting President Keyes to the door. Several people followed, booing and telling him to leave. Cletus was at the front of the crowd.

As they got outside, a large black car stopped in front of the city hall.

"And don't you ever come back, you side-winding swindler!" shouted Cletus. "You want our land?! Here, this is all you'll get!"

He bent down and took a pawful of damp dirt. Then, with all his might, he flung it at President Keyes, getting the dirt all over his pristine suit and face.

One of the grizzly bears advanced upon Cletus. The old rabbit stood there, with his fists up.

"You want a piece o' me, you overgrown hearthrug?! Come an' get some!"

But before the bear could do anything else, Preston Keyes spoke.

"Jacques, enough."

The bear stopped. President Keyes looked at Cletus and…smiled. He bowed.

"My sincere apologies, good sir," said President Keyes. "I shall take my leave at once."

He climbed into the car, followed by his bodyguards, and they drove away.

"Way to go, Mr Hareington," said Nick. "You sure showed that old windbag."

Cletus turned to Nick. He said nothing, just gave the fox a dirty look. Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

"We cling to our roots," said Sheriff Shepard as he walked up beside Nick, watching Cletus leave. "For better and for worse, I'm afraid."

As the townsfolk returned to their homes, the black car drove back to the Mayor's home, where President Keyes was staying. Inside the car, President Keyes turned his head to look at the mole sitting next to him.

"Is it done?" he asked.

"M-Mission accomplished, sir," said George Jenkins nervously.

"Good," said President Keyes. He made no further questions.

Jenkins sighed mentally with relief. Then suddenly…

"I have one more mission for you, Jenkins," said President Keyes.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"I do not appreciate rabble rousers getting in the way of my business," said President Keyes. "That uppity old rabbit. You saw him."

"Yes, s-sir, I witnessed the unfortunate event," said Jenkins.

"Good. Then you know what to do," said President Keyes. "Jacques?"

Jacques the bodyguard nodded and took a briefcase from under his seat, giving it to Jenkins. Jenkins opened it.

Inside was a dart gun. And three darts, filled with white liquid.

"Morris shall stay behind with the other car, just to make sure," said President Keyes. "Quick and clean. Call me when it's done."

"Y-Yes, sir," said Jenkins nervously as he closed the briefcase once more.

"Good," said Keyes with a nasty look on his face. "I shall tell Mrs Jenkins you will be a little late for your reunion. But you'll make it in the end."

"Y-Yes," said Jenkins, shaking a bit. "Thank you, s-sir…"

* * *

Garth was showing everyone the recording of George Jenkins he had captured while everyone was at the meeting. Judy and Nick watched and listened triumphantly as Jenkins incriminated not only himself, but President Preston Keyes as well.

"This is it!" said Judy. "Our golden ticket!"

"I'm sending this to Bea as we speak in an encrypted file," said Garth. "Along with the passkey to open it. If she shows this to the folks over there at the EPC, we've won half the battle!"

"Well done, Garth!" said Nick.

"Couldn't have done it without my partner!" said Garth, putting his paw on little Kevin's shoulder.

"Aww, it was nothin', Uncle Garth," said Kevin.

Amber kneeled down and kissed Kevin's cheek, hugging him snugly while Garth and the rest chanted: " _Kevin Levin Little Colt! Faster than a lightning bolt_!"

"Aww, shucks…." said Kevin, blushing pink.

"So what do we do now?" asked Bonnie.

"We wait for Bea to give us news," said Judy. "It's in her paws now."

Everyone nodded.

It had been a long day, filled with excitement. Everyone was happy to turn in early. Amber happily helped Bonnie and Judy to tuck the girls in and she read them a story before they drifted off to dreamland.

Bonnie and Stu said good night and retired. Judy and Nick hugged warmly and said goodnight, their hearts filled with hope that they'd soon bring the wicked to justice. Garth retired to his hammock up in the loft and was soon fast asleep.

The Hopps household slept peacefully that night. For the first time since this crisis had started, they all felt serene and confident that everything would turn out a-okay.

* * *

Monday morning was chilly but sunny. Nick watched the movement around the town square as he and Judy walked along the sidewalk beside Stu and Bonnie.

Amber and Garth were close behind, looking at the monuments in front of the city hall and taking in the lovely atmosphere of a small town in late October. Many folks were already carving their pumpkins with spooky faces, getting ready for the holiday.

"I could definitely get used to this," said Nick as he took a deep breath and watched the townsfolk going about their various concerns.

Cletus Hareington walked up the steps of the general store with a list in his paws. Everyone waited at the corner for Garth and Amber to catch up.

And it was then that Judy saw it. Parked halfway down the block, shining in the early morning light, was a black car. It was pristine, and its license plate was polished and spotless.

Like a carpet of fire in her mind, Judy remembered! She shook Nick's arm and pointed at the license plate.

"Nick! Look!"

He did, and it took him a few seconds to realise.

"43KFQ75," read Nick. "Wait a minute! That's…that's…"

"Yes!" said Judy.

They exchanged looks. That was the license plate of the car Judy had chased last Wednesday night, the night of the explosion that almost killed James Otterton.

"Is everything alright?" asked Bonnie, approaching them.

And right then, the car started to move. It drove slowly towards the general store, just as Cletus Hareington walked out with bags of supplies.

"C'mon, Carrots!" said Nick and they raced after the car. They ran past Amber and Garth, who saw them and immediately knew something was wrong. The opossum and coyote ran after their friends.

The car sped up and finally came to a stop in front of the store. The door opened and a mole stepped out, wearing a long coat. He walked towards Cletus, who was busy double-checking his list.

And then, Nick heard it. An intake of air, and a lock…the sound of a _dart gun_ being loaded.

With a burst of speed, he ran towards Cletus, feeling the world go into slow motion. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mole raise his paw and whip out a dart gun from beneath his coat.

"CLETUS!" yelled Nick as he pushed the rabbit out of harm's way.

And then he felt it. A sharp sting on his left paw, right beneath his thumb.

"ARG!" Nick fell to the ground and quickly pulled a small dart out of his paw, throwing it a few feet away.

George Jenkins was paralysed, but only for a second. He quickly realised his mistake and turned around to run towards the car. But a flash of grey and purple tackled him to the ground. Judy jumped onto the mole and pinned him down, making him drop his dart gun.

The driver inside the car saw the scene and hit the gas, swerving away down the street at top speed, abandoning Jenkins and heading for the town exit.

Bonnie and Stu, Amber and Garth caught up with Judy and Nick just as Nick got up and helped Cletus to his feet.

"What in tarnation was that all about, you loony-heads!" bellowed Cletus.

"If I were you, I'd be saying 'Thank you, Officer Wilde', Cletus," said Stu. "That mole was gonna shoot you, and Nick pushed you out of harm's way."

Cletus went silent. He looked wide-eyed and stunned, not knowing what to say.

"P-Please," said Jenkins, still pinned under Judy's paw. "I assure you…it was not my idea…there is a perfectly good explanation for this…"

"There'd better be, Mister," said Garth.

Judy turned her head to Nick.

"Are you alright, Nick?" asked Judy.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "It'll take more than a lousy tranquiliser dart…to…put…me dooonwnn…"

Suddenly, the world went blurry to his eyes. Everyone watched aghast as Nick fell to the ground and started shaking.

"NICK!" shrieked Judy.

Amber quickly kneeled over him, and then reached for the dart, smelling the tip. Her face went pale!

"This isn't tranquiliser!" said Amber. "This is _poison_!"

Those words made Judy's blood turn to ice. The world stopped for her all of a sudden, and a deep and terrible rage suddenly took over her. She turned to George Jenkins, still on the ground, cowering.

Judy was not a hitter. She had never been one for fisticuffs. But in the seething anger that consumed her, she felt her paw close into a rock-hard fist and she swung it with all the might in her body, striking the mole squarely on the left cheek. A cracking sound, his glasses shattered into bits, the mole's head hit the hard pavement…and he passed out.

* * *

The doors to the doctor's office burst open! Doctor Briar and his nurse, both rabbits, were sitting at their desks. They jumped up in surprise as they saw a group of people rushing in!

Garth and Amber were carrying Nick, followed closely by Judy, Stu and Bonnie, Cletus and Gideon Gray, who had seen the commotion from the window of his bakery and had rushed out to help.

"Quick, doc! Get off your butt!" yelled Amber. "I have to stabilise him! He's been poisoned!"

The doctor and the nurse looked shocked.

"Nurse, get me salt water and lots of cotton, disinfectant and bandages! Doc, syringe and test tubes. Garth come with me, I'll need your blood."

It was amazing how Amber, a slender and seemingly frail young lady, galvanised everyone into immediate action with her words.

They carried Nick to the back room. Amber had tied her scarf around his wrist tightly to prevent the poison from spreading. Everybody knew they were racing against time.

"Okay, scalpel and tub," said Amber as they placed Nick on the cot. "Folks, I got this. Please wait outside in the waiting room. Garth, you stay. Doc, nurse, get a move on!"

Gideon, Cletus, Bonnie, Stu and Judy walked out of the room. The doctor walked in with all the necessary equipment and closed the door.

"I'll…go get the kids," said Bonnie. "From school…they have to be here…"

She ran briskly out of the waiting room towards the exit.

Cletus, Gideon, Stu and Judy sat down on the chairs in the waiting room. They were stunned. They could not believe what had just happened.

It had all been so fast. Nick had fallen, Judy had knocked Jenkins unconscious, they carried Nick to the doctor's office while Sheriff Shepard rushed to the scene to take Jenkins away to the police station. Gideon had come running across the square to help, they burst into the doctor's office…and here they were.

The big question was… _what happened next_?

Judy was in shock. She barely blinked. This felt so unreal. It was like a horrible nightmare. A horrible, terrible nightmare, the worst she could ever imagine…but it was really happening to her.

Her partner…her friend….her beloved Nick…her first friend from outside her hometown…the first friend she had made in Zootopia...

"No," she whispered. "No, this isn't happening..."

When she had been looked down upon by everyone…when she had been abandoned by everyone, almost renouncing to her dream…he had stood up for her before her chief…back-talked him…the only one who had ever been able to make her chief stand quiet, unable to retort…he had been her friend…her accomplice…her partner…her companion…

Nick was the first person outside of her family that she had _loved_. A pure, deep, ever-lasting love, capable of anything and everything.

She could not lose him. She simply could not lose him.

The minutes seemed like hours. Stu looked out the window and saw Bonnie rushing across the square with the children. They all looked scared and desperate.

Then suddenly, the door burst open and Amber stood in the doorway. Her glasses were slightly askew, her eyes were on fire and she looked fierce.

"You, baker boy!" said Amber. "Get in here!"

Stu, Cletus and Judy looked at Gideon, who stood up immediately, not knowing what to expect. He walked into the room, wondering what was going on.

Amber closed the door again and walked back to Nick's side. It was a terrible sight to behold. He was terribly pale and was trembling. His eyes were closed. There was a small metal tub full of blood on a sink not far away and Garth was sitting on a chair beside Nick, shirtless and looking very concerned. The doctor and nurse stood to one side.

"He's stable, but he's lost blood like crazy," said Amber to Gideon. "You look like you have more than enough for a skinny chap like him. Get on that cot over there and pull up your sleeve; we're going to need a transfusion."

Gideon looked a bit queasy when he heard the word 'transfusion', but he steeled himself and did what Amber told him to.

"I'm ready," said Gideon as he sat on the cot and rolled up his sleeve.

"Okay," said Amber, rubbing disinfectant on his arm and preparing the transfusion equipment. "Here we go."

* * *

The clock ticked loudly in the silent waiting room. Everybody was sitting down, speechless. It was almost like a gathering of ghosts.

The children were all there. Their eyes were full of tears. They hugged the grown-ups, unable to believe what was happening.

Isabelle sniffled as she sat in her mother's lap. She looked up at Bonnie with big, damp eyes.

"Is he gonna be alright, mommy?" asked Isabelle through her tears. "Is Uncle Nick gonna be alright?"

"Don't worry, angel," said Bonnie, hugging her tight. "Your Auntie Amber will make him okay again. He's going to be just fine."

More sniffles were heard. Maggie hugged her sister Penny's arm tightly.

"Please…save him…Auntie Amber," said Maggie in a low voice. Penny hugged her sister close. Her eyes streamed with tears. She tried to be strong, like her dear Auntie Amber, but she could not hold her tears back.

Bianca burst into sobs on Judy's lap. Judy held her tight, kissing her little sister's head and holding her close.

"He's going to be alright, Bianca," said Judy. "Uncle Nick is going to be alright…"

"Please…don't…die…Uncle Nick," sobbed Bianca. "Please…don't let him…die…"

"He's not going to die, sweetheart," said Judy through her own sobs.

"Please…I…don't want…you to…die…Uncle Nick…I love…you…please…don't die…"

"He's not going to die," sobbed Judy, hugging her sister tight. "He's not going to die…he's not going to die…"

Cletus was blubbering like a baby in the corner. Stu did his best to comfort him, but he was disconsolate.

"I…misjudged him…"

"It's alright, Cletus," said Stu, his eyes just as teary as the rest. "It's going to be alright."

"I…it's my fault…he's…dear me, why did I…have to say…"

"Don't, Cletus," said Stu. "It wasn't your fault, none of this…"

The clock ticked. The minutes snailed by. The uncertainty was eating at their souls. They knew he could be lying there lifeless. But they didn't want to believe it. He couldn't be dead. His jolly laugh, his smiling face, his playful antics…all of it flashed before their eyes. It was too painful to think that he could no longer exist. That Nicholas Wilde…was gone.

They didn't want to believe it.

But it could be true.

* * *

Finally, the door opened. Amber walked out, with an exhausted but triumphant look.

"You can come in and see him now," she said. "But just for a while. Don't crowd him, he's still weak. Kids first, and Judy. Come on, kids."

The smaller Hopps children walked into the room slowly, holding paws. Judy walked in with Bianca in her arms.

And there he was.

"Uncle Nick!" cried the little bunnies and rushed to his side.

Nick smiled weakly.

"Hey kids," he said. "Mighty Fox is here."

The kids climbed onto the bed and hugged their Uncle Nick, sobbing into his blanket. Judy carried Bianca to Nick's side and set her down beside him. Bianca hugged Nick's face and cried loudly. Nick reached with his paw and hugged her, stroking her head reassuringly.

"Don't worry, little ace," said Nick. "They fixed me up just fine, and I'll fly again in no time."

Judy stood beside Nick's bed, her lip trembling and her paws shaking. Nick looked up at her.

"Hey Carrots," he said, doing his best to give her his trademark smirk. "Did I miss my soap opera?"

"Oh, Nick!" Judy cried out, bursting into tears as she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "If I'd lost…you…I don't know…what…"

She couldn't talk anymore. All she could do was cry and hug him tight.

"Hehe, it'll take more than that to snuff this fox," said Nick as he stroked her softly on the head and the back of her ears, knowing how she loved the soothing feeling of his warm paws on her.

"Oh, Nick...my sweet...sweet...wonderful Nick," cried Judy with a voice trembling from raw emotion.

She held his cheeks and showered his face with kisses.

" _I love you…I love you so much…_ " she whispered as she kissed him over and over.

"Awww, I know you do, baby carrot cakes," said Nick, putting his arm around her and hugging her close. "And you know I do. And you know that you do. And you know that I know that you know that you do."

Judy couldn't help giggling weakly at his playful words. He was indeed okay, back to his whimsical wisecracking self again.

After a long embrace, Judy and the Hopps children stepped away from Nick's bed. Judy turned to Amber and Garth, and Gideon, who was sitting on a cot behind them, a bit drowsy from the blood transfusion.

"I can't…even begin…to tell you…how grateful we are," Judy stammered.

Amber answered by hugging her tight, then all the kids. Garth did the same.

The children left, and in walked Penny, Bonnie, Stu, Cletus and Sheriff Shepard, who had just arrived after making sure Jenkins was locked up and guarded by his deputies.

Penny, Stu and Bonnie all hugged Nick with tears streaming down their cheeks, all grateful to have him back and safe.

Then came Cletus.

"Officer Wilde…I wanna sincerely…deeply…apologise…for all the things I said," said Cletus shakily. "You saved my life…and I can't never…repay you for…being such a fine…gentlefox and officer…"

He couldn't talk anymore. He just hugged Nick tight and let the floodgates of his eyes run free.

"That dart…was meant for me," said Cletus, blubbering like a child. "If you hadn't pushed me outta the way…and taken it for me…."

"Now don't get all lacrimose on me, Cletus," said Nick. "I'm a cop, it's what we do."

Cletus continued to blubber. Nick gave up and patted his back gently.

"Ahh, you bunnies…so emotional."

Donovan Shepard stood beside Nick's bed and removed his hat. He saluted Nick with reverence, a single tear dripping from his eye.

"Officer Wilde," said Shepard. "On behalf of the entire town, I would like to thank you deeply for your brave act of self-sacrifice. You were willing to lay down your life to protect a citizen of our town, and such valour can never be rewarded enough. You are a true hero, Officer Nicholas Wilde."

Nick saluted back, smiling warmly.

"Serve and protect," said Nick. "That's what I live for, that's what I'll die for."

As Penny, Shepard and Cletus exited the room, relieved to see that Nick was safe, Judy remained, standing next to Nick's bed and holding his paw in both of hers. Stu and Bonnie stood at the foot of Nick's bed, holding paws, happy to see that their daughter's sweetheart was going to live to be his playful, mischievous self once again.

Nick turned to his two city friends, Garth and Amber. They were standing on the other side of the bed, looking tired but happy.

"Amber, Garth, you saved me," said Nick. "I can't thank you two enough. With your brains put together, no force on Earth will ever come close to matching your sheer awesomeness."

Garth beamed and Amber blushed.

"Aww, shucks," they said in unison, then laughed together.

"I'd gladly march into the battlefield of death a thousand times for you, old pal," said Garth.

"That's what friends are for, Nick, to help in every way," said Amber.

"So, no more 'Officer Wilde', Amber?" asked Nick teasingly. "You finally got around to calling me 'Nick'?"

"Well," said Amber. "There are certain things people do not come back from without becoming close friends. And I think this is one of them, Nick."

They all chuckled as Amber hugged him warmly.

"And you there, Gideon," said Nick. "Don't be bashful, I know you spilt blood for me, quite literally."

Gideon, still sitting on the cot behind Garth and Amber, just chuckled shyly.

"Shucks, you'd have done the same for me, Officer Wilde."

"Humble to the last, Mr Gray," said Nick, and everyone chuckled.

Bonnie had one burning question, and now that things had calmed down, she asked.

"How were you able to save him, Amber, dear?"

Amber reached for a plastic hermetic bag on the medicine counter behind her and showed them the dart that Nick had been shot with.

"Nick was shot with a dart containing Crotalus cerastes venom, more commonly known as rattlesnake poison," said Amber.

Everyone shuddered when they heard those two last words.

"The smell gave it away," said Amber. "We are trained in forensics school to recognise the scents of different poisons, and I must admit being a coyote gives me quite a bit of a natural advantage in that area," she added, tapping her cute little nose with her finger and giggling musically. "Nick needed anti-venom and quick. Fortunately, we have our living source of antidote right here…"

She placed her paws on Garth's shoulders and kissed the top of his head.

"My chubby-wubby future hubby," said Amber lovingly.

"Awww, shucks," Garth beamed and looked very pleased.

"Opossums' bodies produce peptides that neutralise rattlesnake venom," said Amber. "I isolated them and used them to neutralise the poison that had gone into Nick's bloodstream. Most of it I was able to drain out, fortunately, before it reached the rest of his body. But he bled a lot and needed a transfusion immediately. And that's where Gideon Gray came in, donating a generous amount of blood to save Nick. And all is well that ends well," she finished, adjusting her spectacles happily.

"Somehow, I feel closer to you already," said Nick. "I got Garth's anti-venom peptides and Gideon's blood from the transfusion. I guess we're really cousins now, eh, Gid?"

"Oh, Officer Wilde," said Gideon bashfully.

"Now you're gonna start calling me 'cuz', and as soon as you marry Bea, it'll be official."

Even though he had donated a large amount of blood, Gideon still managed to blush shyly.

"Now, I have even more good news for everyone," said Amber, holding up the bag with the deadly dart. "Terror Firma Incorporated has a lot of explaining to do. Possessing rattlesnake venom without authorisation is very, very, veeeeery illegal. And not to mention using it! This stuff is strictly controlled and you need a laundry list of permits and authorisations to obtain just an ounce of it. And these clowns not only possessed it, they used it for criminal purposes, along with the pan-dimonium acetate, which they synthesised in an illegal clandestine laboratory. So I think we can safely say that we've got everything we need to bring these evil scoundrels in and have them face justice!"

"That we do," said Nick. "And the final piece of the puzzle is George Jenkins."

"Who is sitting in a cell at the police station," said Judy, gently letting go of Nick's paw and walking to the door. "And with whom I am about to have a long conversation."

* * *

Deputy Barkins brought George Jenkins into the interrogation room. He made him sit on a chair on which he had piled several books. Jenkins sat on a dictionary as Barkins cuffed him securely to the table, making sure he could not escape.

As Barkins walked out of the room, Donovan Shepard and Judy walked in, closing the door behind them.

"How is he?" asked Jenkins, looking genuinely concerned.

"He's fine…no thanks to you," spat Judy hatefully.

"I…I'm glad to hear that," muttered Jenkins.

Sheriff Shepard pulled a chair, also piled with books, for Judy and she jumped up onto it, sitting down on a cookbook. Shepard sat on the chair next to her, and they both looked across the table at the mole.

"Let's get to the point, Mr Jenkins," said Shepard. "We know what you did. All of it. The burrowing machine, the pan-dimaniaan acey…er, the orange chemical that killed the crops, and now the dart gun filled with rattlesnake venom. I don't need to tell you that your crimes are severe and enough to land you in prison for the rest of your natural life."

Jenkins said nothing.

"We also know that you are not working alone," said Shepard. "Your boss, Preston Keyes, the president of your company, is also involved. So what we need right now is for you to take a deep breath and tell us, from the beginning, everything that we need to know. Do not leave anything out, take your time, and just tell us everything."

Jenkins was silent. Then he started shaking.

"Start talking!" snapped Judy. "You ruined our crops, endangered my hometown, and you almost killed my partner!"

Jenkins closed his eyes.

"This ends here and now," said Judy, standing up with her paws on the table. "Talk! Start talking, or heavens help me, I swear I'm going to break that dictionary on your sorry little…"

She stopped midsentence, though, when Jenkins burst into tears. He stared sobbing loudly like someone who had just lost his mind.

Judy flinched. She hadn't meant to make him cry. Just shake him up a little…

"Um, Mr Jenkins…" started Judy.

But she didn't say anything else. Jenkins started saying something shakily, trying to get his words around his sobs.

"He's gonna kill them...he's gonna...kill them..."

"Who?" asked Shepard gently. "Who's gonna kill who, Mr Jenkins?"

"Keyes...is gonna kill...President Keyes is gonna kill..."

Judy and Shepard waited, and the next words Jenkins spoke made it all clear to them.

"... _my family_."


	6. Turning the Tables

If Amber Beverly Latrans ever opened a hot chocolate shop, she'd make a fortune in no time.

George Jenkins took deep breaths as he sipped the warm, creamy drink from a small mug. Amber, after leaving strict instructions to the doctor and nurse and making sure Nick was well looked after, crossed the town square and headed to the police station with Garth. Judy had asked them to be present in the interrogation room. She was quiet and brooding as she waited for Jenkins to finish his hot chocolate.

Sheriff Donovan Shepard stood patiently against the wall, waiting. Amber sat beside Judy, across the table from the mole. Garth stood beside Shepard, watching the scene and waiting along with everyone else.

Finally, Jenkins spoke.

"I met President Keyes eight months ago, when my family and I moved to Zootopia," said Jenkins. "I applied for a job at the Terra Firma Incorporated Auditing Department. I was immediately hired and life seemed to be going forward for us. My family and I lived in a company-paid home, my salary was generous, and in three months I was promoted to Head of the department."

He paused, taking a deep breath, then continued.

"Then, I started noticing little things. Numbers that didn't add up. Properties that appeared out of nowhere. Strange purchases of things that seemed to be of no use to us. I went to the President one afternoon and told him there was something strange going on. Perhaps someone within the company was diverting funds or using company assets for something dodgy. And that was the day President Keyes turned me into his _personal assistant_."

Jenkins shuddered.

"He abducted my family. He told me that they were safe, in one of his homes, and that they would remain safe as long as I did exactly what I was told to do without question," said Jenkins. "He was obsessed with becoming the most powerful and influential rabbit in history. He said he'd show the world what he was made of, even if it meant crushing every one of his competitors under his foot. I had to do what he told me or he'd have my family killed, with me there to witness it."

Judy shuddered. She could not begin to imagine the horrors that this poor mole had had to endure in silence.

"My wife and my two daughters are being held in one of his three properties," said Jenkins. "I've only seen them twice since that dreadful day, and always under the stern eyes of his bodyguards. He promised me he'd let us go after Terra Firma bought up all the farms in Bunny Burrow and he completed his plan."

"He's not going to let you go," said Judy quietly. "You know too much."

"Yes," said Jenkins. "I know that. But I had to keep trying…for my family."

He went quiet, looking at the surface of the table.

"Mister Jenkins," said Sheriff Shepard, walking to the table. "You have valuable information that can help us put a stop to all this madness. You know Keyes better than anyone, and you know how he operates. If you agree to help us expose him and bring him in..."

Shepard paused. Jenkins looked up, his eyes moving from one face to the other.

"You mean…you would… _help me_?"

Judy stood up on the cookbook and looked determined.

"Mr Jenkins, nobody has the right to abduct anybody's family and threaten to harm them," said Judy. "The fact that this heinous act was committed in Zootopia beneath our noses, it fills us all with righteous indignation."

Amber and Garth nodded. Shepard did too.

"Your family is being held in Zootopia," said Judy. "In one of Preston Keyes's residences. Well, that's the jurisdiction of my department. I will personally see to it that we take your family into protective custody and put this criminal where he belongs."

"But Officer," said Jenkins. "If Keyes catches whiff of the police looking into his affairs, he could harm my family."

"Then we'll have to do this stealthily," said Garth.

Everyone looked at him.

"You have been acting stealthily, Mr Jenkins, working from the shadows to fulfil the desires of this power-crazed lunatic," said Garth. "Now we're going to use that same tactic to extract your family from wherever they're being held and place them under the safe and vigilant eye of the ZPD."

"But how?" asked Jenkins.

"I have a plan," said Garth. "One that still has a few holes in it. But with the help of all of you, I hope to flesh it out."

Everyone listened to Garth's plan, adding their own suggestions and figuring out the best way to proceed.

For the first time in months, Jenkins felt a ray of hope piercing through the dark sky of his life.

* * *

Amber walked back to the doctor's office with Garth to check on Nick. Judy and Sheriff Shepard were finishing up the last details of Garth's plan, doing their best to cover all possible contingencies. Jenkins added his knowledge here and there and they all decided on how to proceed next.

"Okay," said Shepard. "Until it's time to leave, Mr Jenkins, I think it's safest if you return to your cell."

"Yes, Sheriff," said Jenkins.

"Deputy Barkins will stay with you and make sure you're safe until we return," said Shepard.

Shepard walked out of the room, and Judy followed. But before she left, she stood in the doorway and turned around, looking a bit sheepish.

"Erm…Mr Jenkins?"

"Yes?" asked Jenkins.

"Uh…sorry about the…um…you know…"

Judy did a fist and a punching motion.

Jenkins just smiled.

"I deserved it," he said. "For many things. And that's some right-hook you've got there, Officer Hopps."

"Um…sorry about your spectacles…"

"Oh, I don't need them," said Jenkins. "I have perfect eyesight. It's a fashion thing. My wife has been telling me to get rid of them for years, that they make me look old, but I thought they made me look handsome. Thank you for opening my eyes."

Judy smiled weakly. Then nodded and left.

She crossed the town square with Shepard and walked into the doctor's office. They found Nick laughing and wisecracking with Garth and Amber, with Stu and Bonnie adding some funny comment here and there.

"Looks like Officer Wilde is on his way to being a-okay," said Shepard happily.

"He's a strong chap," said Doctor Briar. "A good night's rest and some warm soup will do him wonders."

"He's good to go," said Amber. "Mrs Hopps, if we could take Nick to your home and look after him, and fill him in on the details?"

"Of course," said Bonnie.

"I'll bring the car," said Shepard. "You can put him in the backseat and he'll be nice and comfortable. I'll drive him to your house, Mrs Hopps."

Shepard tipped his hat and went to get his squad car. Amber and Judy helped Nick up and out of the doctor's office as Shepard's car pulled up.

Soon, they were all back at the Hopps family household. Nick was lying down comfortably in the guest room, under warm quilts. Judy was sitting beside him with her paws on the quilt, adding her warmth to the covers. Bonnie whipped up a delicious pumpkin soup, which Judy spoon-fed to Nick slowly and enjoyed every minute of it. Later, the young Hoppses came in and showed their Uncle Nick the get-well cards they had drawn for him with the help of Auntie Amber and Uncle Garth. Nick looked at each card delightedly, praising their work and thanking them, happy to have such a loving family who cared for him. In the past two weeks, he felt that he had become closer than ever to the Hoppses, and he had learned that family was the most important and wonderful thing in the world, and that he would do anything to protect them. Anything.

After the children had gone to bed, Amber and Garth walked into the room. Stu and Bonnie were sitting in chairs beside Nick. Judy was sitting on his bed, holding his paw and giggling at something funny he had just said.

"You are a rascal, Mr Wilde," said Judy fondly.

"Guilty as charged," said Nick with his trademark smirk.

They all turned to Garth and Amber.

"Nick," said Amber. "I think there's someone we all need to talk to."

"Yes?" asked Nick. "I'm all ears."

The Hoppses all looked at him and grinned.

"Um…yeah, phrasing," said Nick.

They chuckled and Amber walked into the corridor, beckoning for someone to come in. Sheriff Shepard walked in and tipped his hat, saying good evening to everyone. And in front of him, cuffed but smiling, was George Jenkins.

"Good evening," said Jenkins.

"Well, hello there," said Nick. "Visiting the convalescing is definitely going to earn you some brownie points. And let me tell you, Mrs Hopps's brownies are deee-lectable!"

Everyone chuckled. Judy admired Nick's ability to joke in the face of someone who had almost caused his death that morning.

"I wish to apologise deeply for the damage I have caused, Officer Wilde," said Jenkins. "I take full responsibility for my actions and wish to make amends by helping you and your fellow officers and friends to put an end to the criminal activity taking place within Terra Firma Incorporated."

"Well, that will do the trick just nicely," said Nick. "Tell us, then. How do we proceed next?"

"Officer Hopps has promised to help rescue my family from Preston Keyes," said Jenkins. "For this purpose, Mr O' Possum has devised a plan. I am to return to Terra Firma and tell the President that I have accomplished my mission and managed to give the authorities the slip. I am to tell him that I must go underground for a while…"

He stopped as everyone looked at him funny.

"Nice choice of words there," said Nick with a sideways grin. "That'll be the joke of the week over at the DMV."

"…um…heh heh…sorry," said Jenkins. "Erm…to go into hiding for a while, until things cool off. He promised me he'd let me see my family after this mission. So when the boys take me over to see my family, you will track me down and pinpoint where he's holding them. Although, that last bit I didn't quite get."

"It's simple," said Garth. "We'll slip a GPS dot into your pocket and I can track you wherever you are in the world. We'll find out where he's taken you and then the ZPD will do the rest."

"Right," said Jenkins.

"We have to do that after you find out where your family is being held, though," said Amber. "Just to be safe. In case he suspects anything and he searches you for bugs."

"Yes, although that is not yet clear to me either," said Jenkins.

"Oh, that'll be a cinch," said Nick. "We'll be there at Terra Firma in disguise and we'll secretly bug you as soon as you learn where your family is being held. Won't we, Susan Eleanor Cottonbottom?"

He turned to Judy, winking slyly.

"That we will, Clyde," answered Judy with a wide grin.

Jenkins took a few seconds to realise. But when he did, his eyes went wide…for a mole, at any rate.

"Wait a minute! Those two…the other…day….THOSE WERE YOU TWO?"

There was a stunned silence, and suddenly Jenkins burst into mirthful, hearty laughter! He had not laughed in months, and it sure felt good to laugh again!

"Oh, my sainted aunt! I cannot believe it!"

After he had calmed down, everyone worked out the details.

"Well, let's get our plan in action," said Sheriff Shepard from the doorway. "Are you well enough to travel, Officer Wilde?"

"If I'm well enough to wisecrack, I'm well enough to travel," said Nick with a grin.

"Nana Bernardine has kindly lent me her station wagon," said Shepard. "She said she'd be delighted to help us in any way she could. She has prepared it for you to travel comfortable, so we can all embark for Zootopia as soon as you're ready."

"We?" asked Judy. "You mean…"

"Yes," said Shepard with a smile. "I think I should come along. I've heard much about your famous Chief Bogo and only spoke to him on the phone. I would like to meet this gent in person and thank him on behalf of the entire town for helping us close this cankered carrot caper."

And from that day on, folks in Bunny Burrow and beyond came to know this debacle by the name Sheriff Shepard had just coined for it.

* * *

Nick slept comfortably between warm quilts in the back of Nana Bernardine's station wagon, with Judy beside him, sitting close and rubbing his cheeks lovingly with her paws.

Garth and Amber slept together with their heads resting on each other in the backseat, snuggled warmly like two doves. George Jenkins was wide awake, sitting in the front with Shepard, who was driving. The night was dark and outside was a curtain of blackness as they drove between the woods and hills. Judy looked out the window and felt a comfortable sensation of security, being inside the car close to Nick while they drove from Bunny Burrow to Zootopia.

It was very early morning when the wooded hills gave way to a large expanse of land, and they saw the shining skyscrapers of Zootopia in the distance. Judy knew the stage was set for the final leg of their mission. As Shepard drove into the city and made his way to Savanna Central, with the help of Jenkins's directions, everyone woke up and prepared themselves for what was coming next.

Shepard parked the car outside of Precinct 1 and everyone got out.

"Okay," said Amber. "Judy, the shawl and the outfit."

They quickly draped Jenkins with a shawl and a frilly nightgown they had borrowed from one of Judy's sisters, disguising him in case Keyes had eyes around the city looking for him.

Judy helped Nick get out of the car and she walked with him, her arm around his waist and his on her shoulder, following Amber, who led the way for everyone. They walked into the entrance hall and found everything as it should be. Clawhauser was munching on a large spoonful of Lucky Chomps while he read the morning gossip on his phone.

"Morning, Clawhauser," said Judy as they all approached.

Clawhauser looked up in surprise.

"Hopps! Wilde! Latrans! Mr O' Possum…and…"

"Shepard," said Sheriff Shepard, introducing himself. "Sheriff Donovan Shepard, from Bunny Burrow. And this is George…er, Georgina."

"Hi," said Jenkins, pretending to be shy.

"We have important business to discuss with the Chief," said Judy. "All of us."

"Sure. Um...okay…I'll buzz him and let him know," said Clawhauser, picking up his intercom mike. "Er…what happened to you, Wilde? Why the bandage?"

"It's a long story," said Nick. "But don't worry, we expect it to make headline news soon."

Clawhauser looked curiously at the group as they walked up the stairs to Bogo's office. But then his phone beeped with a notification, and he continued reading the celebrity gossip.

* * *

A large group of people walked into Chief Bogo's office. He looked up from the papers on his desk and saw Judy and Nick, in street clothes, Amber and the opossum chap that had helped with the crooked carnival caper two months before, and a sheriff walking with a little mole girl. It was difficult to think of a more mismatched group.

"Well…" said Chief Bogo. "I wonder when my office suddenly became a convention centre. And why aren't you two in uniform?" he added, looking at Judy and Nick.

Then he noticed the bandage on Nick's arm and paw.

"What is going on here?"

"Chief Bogo," said Sheriff Shepard. "So pleased to meet you face-to-face at long last. We spoke on the phone two months ago. Sheriff Donovan Shepard of Bunny Burrow, at your service."

Shepard lifted his paw and looked up at Bogo, straight to the eyes. Bogo managed to smile, a sight about as rare as meteor storm, and shook the Border collie's paw.

"Likewise," said Bogo.

"I can explain everything, but I think it would be best if we allow Mr Jenkins to do so," said Shepard.

"Of course…er, I'll let him in," said Bogo.

"I'm right here, Chief," said Jenkins.

Judy wished she could have filmed Bogo's face as he almost jumped in surprise hearing a distinctively masculine voice coming from what he could have sworn was a little girl.

"Oh, um…." Jenkins said. "I forgot."

Bogo almost jumped again when he saw Jenkins taking his clothes off, thinking he had mistaken the police department for the Mystic Springs Oasis. But he was wearing his regular clothes beneath the disguise.

Over the next thirty minutes, Bogo listened carefully to everything that Jenkins told him. Shepard, Amber, Garth, Judy and Nick added details here and there.

Bogo held a pencil in his hoof as he listened to Jenkins finish the story with the most recent events. The buffalo frowned and looked sternly at the mole.

"You understand, of course," said Bogo, "that regardless of how we proceed from here on, you will be held accountable for your actions. Nothing excuses you from the crimes you've committed, not the least of which includes assaulting an officer of the law, almost causing his death."

The pencil in Bogo's hoof suddenly snapped in half as he clenched it with ire! The top half flew across the room and landed near the filing cabinet. Everyone was silent. Jenkins swallowed hard when he watched Bogo put down the other half of the pencil on his desk, showing no intention of apologising.

If there was something that Bogo took very seriously, it was the assault of a police officer. He might have been rough and gruff and bull-headed, but he cared for his officers, and the fact that Nick had almost died from the snake poison dart was not something that Bogo was willing to forgive.

"I want it understood that despite your good intentions and efforts to make amends, you are still an accomplice to the criminal activity within Terra Firma Incorporated, and will be judged in a court of justice for your crimes."

"I understand, Chief," said Jenkins. "And I take full responsibility for my actions. I just want my family to be safe. I want to end this crazy rabbit's harebrained scheme…"

Jenkins paused, then looked at Judy.

"No offence," he said shyly.

"None taken," said Judy.

"I just want justice, Chief," said Jenkins.

"Very well," said Bogo. "As long as we're clear on that point."

He took a deep breath and turned to Judy.

"Hopps," said Bogo.

"Sir. We devised a plan," said Judy. "Jenkins will return to Terra Firma and pretend he accomplished his mission. He will ask President Keyes if he can hide him for a while until things cool down in Bunny Burrow. We'll plant a GPS dot on him and learn where they're holding his family. Then we move in for the rescue."

"Slow down, Hopps," said Bogo. "There's this little something called a 'warrant', which is required for a police search."

"This won't be a search, Chief," said Judy. "It will be an extraction."

"Wherever they're holding my family, there will most likely be security guards, armed," said Jenkins.

Bogo sighed.

"Waltzing into a private residence, a possible hostage situation, armed guards…someone tell me when this starts to sound like a good idea."

"We won't be waltzing in," said Judy. "We'll be undercover."

"Undercover?" asked Bogo. "Hopps, this isn't some ninth grader's fan fiction where everything just falls into place and magically the bad guys are defeated and the good guys win. If what Mr Jenkins says is true, there is a family's wellbeing at stake. I don't know about you, but I don't want their deaths on my conscience if things go south."

"Chief Bogo," said Nick.

"What is it, Wilde?" said Bogo frowning.

Bogo and Nick looked at each other. Nick knew that his tongue was Bogo's only weakness. He promised only to use his quick wit and eloquence against the Chief when it was necessary, and this was one of those occasions.

"A week ago, if I remember correctly, you told us that you were behind us one-hundred percent if we were right about our suspicions," said Nick. "Well, we were right about our suspicions. You are a buffalo of word, Chief, and I know that you would do anything for justice to prevail, and for Mr Jenkins to have his family back and away from harm. One simple word, one utterance, can change the fate of many people today, sir. Are you going to make the right choice? Time is never on our side, and especially not on the Jenkins family's side. I cannot even imagine what Mrs Jenkins and those poor girls are going through. All I wish is for Opal, our esteemed counsellor, to be able to give them all comfort and help them through this traumatising event. What about you, Chief?"

Bogo cursed mentally, knowing that Nick had put him on the spot. He was caught. Everyone was looking at him, expectant.

"Alright," said Bogo after a long sigh. "Whatever plan you think will be most effective to extract the Jenkinses…you have our full support."

"Thank you, Chief," said Shepard, walking to Bogo's side and shaking his hoof. "You will not regret your decision. I have seen Hopps and Wilde in action, and I would trust my life into their paws without a second thought."

Bogo nodded.

"Alright," said Judy. "Jenkins, call your boss."

"Huh?" said Jenkins. "What should I tell him?"

"Tell him 'mission accomplished' and that you'll be heading to his office in a while," said Nick. "Tell him you managed to give the Bunny Burrow cops the slip and need to lay low."

"O-Okay…" said Jenkins. "Here goes."

Jenkins took his phone out of his coat pocket and dialled the number.

Everyone was dead silent as President Keyes answered.

"S-Sir," said Jenkins. "Mission accomplished."

" _Is it done, Jenkins_?" said Keyes's voice.

"Y-Yes, sir. I managed to give the cops the slip. And I even managed to get rid of one of the peskier cops as well."

Nick gave him a wink.

" _Good. Better than I expected. You surprise me, Jenkins, I am most impressed. For a moment, I thought you had been detained and would be subjected to interrogation_."

"No, sir," said Jenkins.

" _Where are you now_?"

"I'm…on the train, sir," said Jenkins. "Heading to Zootopia. I stowed onboard."

" _Good. As soon as you arrive, come to my office directly._ "

"Y-Yes, sir."

And Keyes hung up.

"Not bad, sport," said Nick.

"Okay," said Jenkins. "What's next?"

"We get into our disguises, and we head down to Terra Firma HQ, and phase one begins," said Judy.

"Care to fill me in on the details, Hopps?" said Bogo.

"Latrans will bring you up to speed, right, Amber?" said Judy brightly.

"Most certainly," said Amber.

"We have to move," said Judy. "Chief, we'll call you as soon as we find out where the Jenkinses are being held."

Bogo was about to say something, but Shepard interrupted.

"It's been a pleasure, Chief Bogo," said Shepard, shaking the buffalo's hoof for the third time. "I shall be taking my leave now, I have important business to attend to in my hometown and we came in a borrowed vehicle. We shall be in contact."

Shepard said goodbye and walked out of the room. Bogo then realised that everyone had left. Everyone, except Amber. She was sitting daintily in front of his desk, smiling and moving her tail slightly from side to side in the most lady-like manner.

"May I offer you a cup of hot chocolate while I explain our plan, Chief Bogo?" asked Amber in her sweetest, most charming voice.

Bogo sighed and nodded. By the looks of it, this was going to be one of those days.

* * *

Jenkins walked into the President's office, acting jittery and nervous as usual.

"Welcome back, Jenkins," said President Keyes without looking up from his magazine.

"S-Sir," said Jenkins. "Everything went more or less as planned."

"Good," said Keyes. "Is he dead?"

"Very much so, sir," said Jenkins. "I hit him square in the neck."

"Not bad," said Keyes, looking up from his magazine. "I didn't think you had it in you, Jenkins. I might have underestimated your talent."

"Thank you, s-sir," said Jenkins.

There was a silence as Keyes poured himself a drink.

"Um…sir, there was a little bit of a…hubbub, in Bunny Burrow," said Jenkins. "I really must lay low for a while…"

"Um-hum," said Keyes distractedly as he turned the page of his magazine.

"Do you think…I could hide for a few days, with my family?" asked Jenkins. "I haven't seen them…in so long."

There was another paused. Then…

"Hmm…yes, I suppose so," said Keyes. "You've earned yourself a little vacation, Jenkins."

Keyes pressed a button on the intercom sitting on his desk.

"Jacques, have Etienne and Morris escort Jenkins to my summer home," said Keyes.

Jenkins stood there, trying his best to hide his excitement. The door opened shortly and two enormous grizzly bear bodyguards walked in.

"I'll call you if I need you again, Jenkins," said Keyes.

"Yes, s-sir," said Jenkins.

The two bears escorted the mole out of the room and into the elevator.

The elevator stopped at the ground floor and opened to a corridor that led to the entrance lobby. The bears and Jenkins stepped out, and suddenly they noticed someone small tapping the walls with an umbrella.

"Confounded modern buildings! Why do y'all have to build them like doggone hay mazes?!"

One of the bears took a step forward, but Jenkins told him to stop.

"I'll handle this, Etienne," said Jenkins, walking towards the stranger in the corridor. "Um, Miss? Are you lost?"

Of course, it was Judy in disguise, pretending to be completely clueless.

"Allow me to help you, Miss," said Jenkins. "The lobby is that way."

"That way might as well be this way or the other way to a blind bunny, you silly goose!" snapped Judy theatrically.

"My apologies, Miss," said Jenkins, taking her arm gently. "Allow me to guide you."

They walked towards the exit. The two grizzly bears looked at each other and shrugged, suspecting nothing at all.

"Doggone flea-bitten dumb darn two-bit architects! Think they're so clever makin' twisted buildings more loopy than a contortionist's digestive tract. They ought to be workin' behind a fast food counter fryin' taters and flippin' carrot fritters, the scatter-brained numble-dumblings!" mumbled Judy as she waved around her paw and umbrella.

In one swift move, she secretly dropped a GPS dot into Jenkins's pocket.

They came to the exit and opened the door to the lobby. Nick was standing there, in his farmer outfit, his paws on his hips.

"Susan Eleanor Cottonbottom! What have I told you 'bout wandering off by yerself?"

"Ah, shuddup, Clyde! You're the one who insisted in comin' into this here joint 'cause you wanted them paper cups they serves water in for yer collection!"

"Now, Susan Eleanor, don't be makin' a hubbub and botherin' these nice folks," said Nick, taking her arm. "Much obliged, Mr Mole. I swear to Jiminy Cricket, this bunny gets her marbles more an' more lost by the hour, minute and second."

"Ah, can it, Clyde! Your marbles weren't never even there to begin with!"

"Now hush up, you. Get yer business done and let's skedaddle over to the grilled corn joint."

As Judy and Nick pantomimed and went over to the corridor that led to the ladies' room, Jenkins and his bodyguards exited the building.

"Did you bug him?" whispered Nick.

"Sure did," said Judy. "Garth should be following him now."

Jenkins and his bodyguards got into a black car and drove away. Judy and Nick came out of the building after a while and walked to one of the benches in the front courtyard, where Garth was sitting down and pretending to laugh at something on his laptop computer.

"They're heading towards the upper-class district," said Garth quietly.

"We should get ready for our next move," said Judy. "I hope Amber was able to convince Bogo."

"She's got a silver tongue, that gal," said Garth. "Smooth as glass, sweet as honeycomb."

They waited and watched the dot on the screen moving along a map of Zootopia. After about ten minutes, it stopped.

"There," said Garth. "Now let's Zoogle that address..."

He did and brought up a picture of the house. It was a large residence with a tall fence and a semi-circular driveway. It was smack in the middle of the upper-class district, surrounded by the houses of the wealthy and famous.

"Bingo," said Garth.

"Okay," said Nick. "Now we have to find out how well-guarded the place is."

"Phase two commences. Let's go to my place," said Garth. "I've got the tools of the trade."

* * *

They were back at Garth's place. Garth took several strange devices from random corners of his basement and they followed him to the far end, where there was a door hidden among all the piles of old computers.

"Time to get this show on the road," said Garth and he opened the door to reveal an underground garage.

Judy and Nick followed Garth into the garage and saw a pristine black-and-red van, painted in the colours of a famous van from one of Garth's favourite television programmes. It was impeccable and as Garth opened the back, they saw that it was decked with all sorts of electronics.

"I didn't know you had a ride, Garth," said Judy.

"Neither did I," said Nick.

"Hop on board and I'll give you two the fifty-cent tour," said Garth, opening the doors with a remote control.

They got into the van and Garth started the engine. The garage doors of the building opened as Garth pushed a button on the dashboard. He drove slowly outside and soon they were cruising smoothly along the posh avenues of the high-class district, looking at the lush lawns and sculpted shrubs and other fancy features of the residences of the rich and famous.

Garth came to a stop near the front gate of the house they had seen earlier on Zoogle Maps. He turned off the engine and climbed over the driver seat, going into the back of the van. Judy and Nick followed.

"Okay," said Garth, sitting down on a chair that was bolted into the floor of the van and turning on a small computer atop a fibreglass counter. "Let's see what Big Brother can spot in the house of the big bad bunny boss."

"Wire-tapping, are we?" said Nick with a wry grin. "Our list of questionable methods just keeps piling up."

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," said Garth with an ear-to-ear smile.

Judy watched as he tapped a few keys on his small computer and a progress bar appeared.

"Are you going to hack in remotely?" she asked.

"Yupperoo!" said Garth. "It used to be that you needed a hardwire connection to the security server in order to intercept the cameras. But now everything is wireless. The cameras, the signal, the servers…everything connects wirelessly. The cameras to the main computer in the security room, and the security room to the security company. It's almost an irony to be using the word 'security' so much while I'm totally playing Nineteen Eighty-Four with these fools."

He waited a few more second, then…

"Aaand…we're in!"

Judy and Nick saw several images of the inside of the house. There were corridors, a dining room, a ballroom, a main entrance hall, and they saw two enormous bears sitting in a lounge. There was a door at the far end of the lounge, and it seemed to be locked with chain and padlock.

"There," said Judy. "I'll bet you anything the Jenkinses are behind that door."

"No need for that," said Garth. "They're right there."

Garth pointed at an image in the bottom left corner of the monitor and they saw them. George Jenkins, his wife and their two daughters were sitting beside a pool in the backyard of the house, and close to them was an enormous grizzly bear in a suit.

"Bingo!" said Nick. "Okay, how many guards?"

"I counted nine, but only three of them are Keyes's guys," said Garth. "The rest are hired from a private security company."

Judy and Nick looked at the images and saw that Garth was right.

Then suddenly…

"Wait a minute! That uniform!" said Nick.

He snapped his fingers.

"I saw that uniform before! James Otterton!"

"Mr Otterton, from the hospital?" asked Judy.

"Yeah! He works for the same company!"

"It's a small world after all," said Garth musically.

"Maybe he can help us," said Nick.

"How?" asked Judy.

"Well, there's a chain of command," said Nick. "Private security guards are hired by clients, but they still respond to headquarters as their top authority. Maybe we can ask Mr Otterton if he can somehow get HQ to call them off for the night."

"Do you think he could?" asked Judy.

"It's worth a try," said Nick. "We don't want them caught up in this whole affair. They probably have no idea what's going on."

"I have a better idea," said Garth, tapping some keys.

They watched him enter the database of the security company, Sentinel Security, LLC.

"What are you up to, Garth?" asked Nick, narrowing his eyes.

"I'm going to pull a Vince McMane and fake-fire these six employees," said Garth. "That way they'll be out of the way for tonight."

"GARTH!" said Judy.

"Just for a few hours," said Garth with a nasty grin as he typed. "They'll get a company email tomorrow morning saying it was all a hoax and some mischievous hacker played a trick on them. Which will be the truth, by the way."

"I never thought I'd be the one to say this, Garth, but I think you're going a little too far," said Nick.

"Aww, c'mon. It's Halloween," said Garth, grinning broadly. "Trick or treat, remember? Let's just play them a trick, it'll be a treat!"

He pushed the ENTER key.

"And there!"

"When this is done, Garth…" said Judy and Nick in unison, then stopped and laughed.

"Yeah, I know, I know, long talk, yadda yadda, blah blah, zap zap, whatever," said Garth, flexing his fingers. "Let's go back to the Precinct. The next part of our plan will require all our expertise."

* * *

Amber was sitting in Chief Bogo's office, explaining the plan to Bogo, Fangmeyer and Wolford. She had had Fangmeyer and Wolford called into the office and filled them in on the details of what was going on.

"So you see, dear Officers Wolford and Fangmeyer, we will need your abilities if we hope to rescue this poor family from the clutches of this criminal," said Amber in her sweetest, most adorable voice, swishing her tail from time to time and rocking ever so slightly in her chair, her legs crossed in a lady-like pose, looking at them with her big amber-coloured bespectacled eyes.

Wolford and Fangmeyer nodded to everything she said. Fangmeyer, standing next to Bogo's desk, was enthralled at the figure of loveliness that spoke to them. He tried hard to hide the fact that he was trying, from time to time, to peek up her skirt every time she moved in her chair and swished her tail.

Amber knew she had them eating out of her paw. She had realised in Bunny Burrow that she was very good at convincing people, and she decided to use this new-found ability for the benefit of her friends. And she knew that she had a special advantage with Wolford and Fangmeyer, them being wolves and she being a coyote, very close relatives.

"This mission will require swift, silent and stealthy officers who can go in and out quickly and smoothly," said Amber, looking directly into Fangmeyer's eyes, making him blush noticeably. "Will you help us?"

"YES!" the two wolves exclaimed.

"Umm…yes," said Fangmeyer, flustered. "I shall strive, with all my heart…um, er…ahem, ahem….ability…to do whatever it takes and help the Jenkinses."

"Count me in, Doctor Latrans," said Wolford.

Chief Bogo held back a face, knowing exactly what Amber was doing. He kept telling himself that it was all for the benefit of the Jenkinses, but he wished it was a plan he could believe would actually work.

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," said Bogo roughly.

Judy and Nick walked in.

"We're all set, Chief," said Judy. "We know where the Jenkinses are being held, and with a bit of luck, the security will be lax tonight. It'll be the best chance we have."

"Hopps," started Bogo. "Might I ask how you came about that information…"

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Amber girlishly, jumping up in her chair.

As she did, her skirt bounced up slightly, and Fangmeyer almost let out a yelp as he saw what he had been trying to see for the past thirty minutes.

"Officers Fangmeyer and Wolford have agreed to give us their full support!" said Amber, getting up and walking towards the door. "Isn't that right, Officers?"

She looked at them with her charming eyes.

"Yes!"

"Absolutely!"

Bogo couldn't help making a face this time.

"Well, we'd better get the preparations underway," said Amber. "We shall meet again here at the precinct at seven. Thank you so much for your help, dear Officers Fangmeyer and Wolford."

The two of them seemed like they were about to melt.

"And Chief Bogo, your support has been invaluable. We shall all do our best to make sure the Jenkinses are safe and under the secure protective custody of our illustrious police department."

"Yes…er, think nothing of it, Doctor Latrans," said Bogo.

She left with Judy and Nick, closing the door. Bogo looked at Fangmeyer and Wolford, still dreamy and dazed.

"You two were like putty in her paws," said Bogo roughly.

"Erm…come again, Chief?" said Fangmeyer.

"Bah, never mind," said Bogo. "At least she's on our side."

* * *

Nick, Judy and Amber walked outside of the Precinct towards the parking lot, where Garth was waiting for them in his van.

Judy looked sideways at Amber and grinned.

"Sly coyote," she said.

Amber giggled girlishly and beamed.

"If you got 'em, use 'em," was her response as she adjusted her spectacles.

Garth drove them back to his place. They got out of the van and Garth opened the door to his basement. Amber walked in fascinated, looking all around delightedly at the piles of junk and computers.

"It's like walking into an archaeological site," she said enthralled. "The mysteries of a man cave. Now I shall unravel you."

Judy giggled as she watched her colleague walk around fascinated by the obvious masculinity of the chaotic room before her. Nick helped Garth bring his devices from the van into the basement.

"Well," said Nick, looking at Amber. "I always said this place could use a lady's touch."

Amber and Judy giggled and Garth beamed happily as he set his tools on benches and gave Amber the tour.

After they had settled down and Amber had gone through the tour, they sat down at one of Garth's tables and he poured them grape-flavoured fizzy drinks. Then they worked out the details of the plan, down to the last possible outcome.

"We have a few hours to kill before show time," said Judy. "I say we get rested and ready. We'll need all our stamina and wits about us for tonight."

"Yes indeed," said Amber. "Nick, are you feeling recovered? Any after-effects or dizziness?"

"I'm feeling great," said Nick. "You and Garth did a super job. But I do think I would benefit from a little relax and recovery. We'll meet again here at six. Then we'll all go to the precinct."

"Done," said the others.

Judy and Nick left Amber and Garth and walked to Nick's apartment, which was closer.

Judy opened the door for Nick and led him to his bedroom, tucking him in carefully and making sure he was comfortable and snug.

"If you need anything, honey bun," said Judy, "I'll be right outside in the living room."

"I do need something," said Nick mischievously. "And you won't be outside in the living room, sunshine."

He tugged Judy towards him and lifted her onto the bed, hugging her tight. Judy giggled. She felt warm and cosy as Nick lifted the covers and tucked her in beside him, wrapping his arms around his beloved bunny.

"I thought you said relax and recovery would do you well, slick," said Judy teasingly as she felt Nick's paws caress her body lovingly, wrapped in the quilt and his warm embrace.

"Well, do you know a better way of relaxing and recovering, little lady?" said Nick with the most mischievous of grins.

"Hmmm, good point," said Judy, closing her eyes and savouring the glorious anticipation, breathing in his wonderful scent. "If there is one and we just don't know about it, then _ignorance is bliss_."

* * *

Garth's van was parked half a block away from Preston Keyes's summer residence. A short distance behind, Chief Bogo was sitting with three officers in his squad car: McHorn, Delgato and Grizzoli. Behind them, another squad car was parked. Fangmeyer and Wolford were getting ready, putting on protective vests and making sure their stun guns were charged and ready. Amber Latrans was with them, instructing them carefully. They nodded and agreed to everything their colleague said. Bogo looked at them in the rear-view mirror and frowned.

"Pathetic," he muttered as he watched Fangmeyer and Wolford enthralled by the lovely Doctor Latrans.

Inside Garth's van, Garth was getting tiny headsets ready for Judy and Nick and the wolf officers. They would wear them on their ears and Garth would be able to lead them to wherever they needed to go, hacking into the surveillance cameras of the house and acting as their eyes-and-ears in the sky.

"Ready to rock?" asked Garth.

"Ready!" said Judy and Nick, and they stepped out of the van.

Delgato, sitting in Bogo's squad car, looked and saw two children dressed in Halloween costumes walking down the sidewalk towards the house.

"Hey Chief!" said Delgato. "There's kids in the area, we should evacuate them!"

"That's _them_ , you dolt!" snapped Bogo, his frown setting a record.

And it was. Judy and Nick walked towards the front gates of the house dressed in Halloween costumes. Wolford and Fangmeyer saw them and nodded, following from a distance and stopping close to the entrance.

Nick climbed over the fence stealthily and dropped on the other side. He walked to the guardhouse, which was empty, and opened the gate a fraction.

Judy walked in, signalling for Fangmeyer and Wolford to wait a few minutes before following.

Nick joined Judy and they walked up the driveway towards the front door of the house. Nobody who happened to see them would imagine it was them.

Judy was wearing a witch costume with a fake nose and hat, hiding her ears and her communicator effectively. Nick was wearing a skeleton costume, which was actually just a stretchy spandex suit painted with glow-in-the-dark bones and a skull mask. They were both carrying little pumpkin buckets filled with sweets.

"A skeleton and a witch, eh?" said Nick behind his mask, and Judy knew that he was smirking. "Unoriginal, but effective."

"Now, why Amber decided to make you the skeleton and me the witch…well, I won't read too deep into it," said Judy with a sideways smirk.

They reached the front steps and climbed up. Then Judy rang the doorbell. They heard heavy footsteps, and the door opened. An enormous grizzly bear in a suit opened the door. He looked and saw nobody. Then…

"TRICK OR TREAT!"

The bear looked down, both surprised and confused.

"Wha….what are you doin' here?"

"It's Halloween, mista!" said Judy in a childish voice. "Trick or treat, trick or treat, gimme somethin' good to eat!"

"Apples, peaches, tangerines," sang Nick in a falsetto voice. "Happy happy Halloween!"

"Go away!" said the bear. "We ain't got no candy! Shoo, shoo!"

"Aww, c'mon, mista!" said Nick. "You folks are rich! I'm sure you got full-sized candy bars!"

"Yeah, don't be stingy!" said Judy.

"I said leave!" shouted the bear. "Get lost, kids, or I'll spank you both!"

"Aww, you don't have any treats?" said Judy. "Well, in that case, I guess it'll have to be 'trick'."

And the bear suddenly felt electricity coursing through his body. Judy had taken a stun gun from her bucket of candy and zapped the bear without him noticing it.

The bear buzzed for a few seconds and then fell back heavily on the carpet of the entrance hall, stunned and paralysed.

They walked over the bear and entered the main hall.

"We're in," said Nick, and shortly Fangmeyer and Wolford dashed in quietly.

" _The Jenkinses are upstairs, at the very back of the house_ ," said Garth's voice in their communicators. " _There are two more bozos, Keyes's goons. No private security guards. Looks like my little joke this morning worked_!"

"Eh, eh, Garth!" said Judy nervously. "Focus! On the mission!"

She doubted very much Bogo would approve of Garth hacking into a private company's database and sending bogus emails fake-firing the employees for a night.

The group moved stealthily upstairs and came to corridor that ended in a large set of double doors. They had seen in the surveillance camera footage that it was a lounge, and behind the lounge there was a chained and padlocked door. The two goons were inside the lounge guarding the Jenkins family.

"Okay," whispered Nick to Wolford and Fangmeyer. "Hopps and I will distract them. You two hide behind those two plants at the sides of the door. When the thugs run after us, zap 'em."

"You got it, Wilde," said Fangmeyer. Wolford nodded in acknowledgement.

Judy and Nick walked up to the doors and opened them abruptly. The two thugs inside looked up and were shocked by the sight of two kids in Halloween costumes standing in the doorway.

"OOPS!" said Judy. "This ain't the kitchen!"

"Wrong room!" said Nick.

They dashed off in opposite directions down the corridor.

"Hey! You kids! Get back here!" shouted one of the thugs and he and his cohort ran after them.

"You take the witch, I'll get the skeleton!" said the other goon, and they started running after Judy and Nick.

But they had not moved three feet when they both felt strong electricity cramping their bodies. Wolford and Fangmeyer, hidden behind large vases with plants at either side of the double doors, zapped them and the thugs were soon unconscious on the floor of the corridor.

Judy and Nick ran back to the lounge, followed by their wolf colleagues. Judy took off her fake nose and Nick removed his mask.

"Alright," said Judy, taking her lock picks from her pocket and picking the padlock.

As she did this, a sudden dreadful thought came to her mind. What if they opened the door…and the Jenkinses were not there?

"No," said Judy in her mind. "Focus, Judy. Don't let your mind wander."

She unlocked the padlock and they removed the chains hastily. Then Judy and Nick pulled open the doors.

For a second, Judy felt a horrible dread in her stomach, fearing what could be behind the doors.

But then…

"Um…is it safe to come out?"

Judy and Nick sighed in relief as they watched George Jenkins walk nervously to them, followed by his wife, and his two daughters.

* * *

Chief Bogo and the larger officers were in the front entrance hall. The three grizzly bear heavies were cuffed and stuffed in the back of Bogo's squad car, which was parked in the driveway outside the front door.

Garth and Amber were standing in the front hall. Garth was flashing his Junior ZPD Officer badge at anyone who happened to catch his eye. The Jenkinses were escorted to Fangmeyer and Wolford's squad car by Delgato and Grizzoli.

Judy and Nick walked down the grand stairs to the front hall with Fangmeyer and Wolford after making sure the house was empty and secure.

"Hey Wilde!" said Fangmeyer.

Nick knew what came next.

" _It's really hot_!" said Nick.

" _What's hot_?" said Wolford.

" _What we got_!" said Fangmeyer.

" _Really hot_!" said Nick.

" _You'd better run way before you're caught_!" said Amber!

Everyone was stunned for a second, looking at her, but then they all grinned and howled triumphantly together.

" _AWOOOOO_!"

"CUT THAT OUT! THIS INSTANT!" yelled Chief Bogo annoyed as he walked towards them.

Judy giggled mirthfully as the canine officers all winked and nodded at each other.

"I must admit," said Bogo, looking at his officers. "I had very little faith in the effectiveness of this…plan. But I stand corrected, it worked. Marvellously."

He sighed deeply and seemed to struggle with his next words.

"My felicitations, to all of you. You did a great job."

The Jenkinses were safely locked inside the wolves' squad car. As Wolford and Fangmeyer got into their car and buckled up, George Jenkins waved at Judy and Nick, tears of joy in his eyes and his face shining with relief and hope.

"Thank you," he mouthed, and the car drove away to the Precinct.

"Well, that's that," said Nick.

"Yup," said Judy. "And now all we have left is the big boss himself."

"With a bit of luck," said Amber, "he'll be on his way to Bunny Burrow tomorrow morning, none the wiser."

"And so will we," said Garth.

* * *

Hours earlier, in the office of President Preston Keyes, his secretary walked into the room with a red envelope, sealed with wax and very official-looking.

"Mr Keyes, sir," said the secretary, a young goat girl. "This arrived just now via courier."

"Miss Blanche, I am in the middle of something quite important," said Keyes, looking up from his online poker game on his iPaw.

"I'm afraid this is top-priority, sir," said Miss Blanche, giving him the letter.

Keyes opened it in annoyance, but soon his annoyance disappeared to give way to a look of triumph.

The letter read:

 _Dear Mr. President Keyes,_

 _On behalf of the town of Bunny Burrow, I am writing to express our sincere apologies for the way the town reacted to the innovative new agricultural model presented last Sunday evening. We deeply regret our conduct and hope that there are no hard feelings towards our humble farming community._

 _To make up for our error, I would like to extend a most cordial invitation to participate in the public signing of an agreement between Your Excellency's illustrious company and our town. We have opened our eyes and embraced the future and we would like the President himself to personally sign the contract by which Terra Firma Incorporated can commence the renovation of all the farms in Bunny Burrow._

 _It would honour us to receive Your Excellency in our humble town and offer all our hospitality, best regional dishes and eternal friendship._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mayor Dwight L. Honeysuckle_

"HAHAA!" said President Keyes. "I knew a little persuasion would go a long way!"

"Shall I have Rosco prepare your car, sir?" asked Miss Blanche.

"Yes, yes, immediately," said Keyes. "Oh, I can almost savour the flavour of triumph! Take care of the preparations, Miss Blanche, and then take the rest of the day off. In fact, take tomorrow off as well, you and everyone else! This calls for a company-wide celebration!"

"Right away, sir," said Miss Blanche and went to carry out her orders.

* * *

The city hall was packed and festive that afternoon! Everybody was present, wearing their absolute best. The middle of the hall was cleared of all chairs and tables and destined to be the dancing floor where the best square dancers of the town would perform for President Keyes. Delicious regional dishes were made by the wives of the farms that had not been affected by the pan-dimonium acetate contamination. Everyone in Bunny Burrow was ready and willing to celebrate and make this the best party ever.

Stuart and Bonnie Hopps and their children, all except for Judy, were present at the event. They were expectant, knowing that something good was about to happen. They kept quiet, though, and acted like everything was normal.

A big black car pulled up to the front of the city hall, and two enormous grizzly bears walked out, escorting President Preston Keyes to the entrance.

"Ah, victory," said Keyes to himself as everyone cheered and greeted him upon his arrival. "One can almost taste it."

The Mayor led him and his bodyguards to the stage, on which a table had been prepared with an ink well and two notaries. A large parchment was sitting on the table, just waiting to be signed.

"This way, please," said Mayor Honeysuckle.

Keyes made a gesture for his heavies to wait for him at the foot of the stage. Everyone applauded and cheered as the Mayor and President Keyes walked up towards the table on the stage. Several dozen cell phone cameras and camcorders recorded the historical moment.

Judge Randolph Romero Lagus was present. He pulled the chair back for President Keyes. Keyes sat down and took a long quill. But before signing, he cleared his throat and spoke a few words.

"This wonderful town shall remember November 1st as the day Bunny Burrow took its first step into the future," said President Keyes.

Everyone applauded.

"Terra Firma Incorporated is happy and proud to foster the first great leap into a future of progress and prosperity for all of you wonderful residents," said Keyes, completely full of himself.

More applause.

"I, Judge Randolph R. Lagus, bear witness to the signing of this official document," announced Judge Lagus, "by which the town of Bunny Burrow agrees to the terms proposed by Terra Firma Incorporated. If there is anyone present in this community who opposes to the signing of this document…"

"I OPPOSE!" said a loud voice in the audience.

Keyes looked up. Everybody looked. At the front of the crowd, leaning on his walking stick, was Cletus Hareington himself.

President Keyes bolted up from his chair.

"YOU!" he shouted. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!"

And a second later, he realised his mistake. But it was too late. One hundred and sixty cameras and cell phones recorded his words. There was murmuring all over.

"Ha! Would be, if it weren't for the brave police officer who saved me!" said Cletus. "And now yer head's on the choppin' block, buster!"

And right on cue, the doors to the city hall burst open. And everyone watched as a tall and lithe vixen ran into the hall, followed by six other people of different species.

It was Beatrice Lorena Wilde! But what a difference! She was wearing a green uniform and protective vest, and in her paws she carried a stun gun, charged and ready.

"Wow…" said little Bianca from her mother's arms. "Aunty Bea looks _badass_!"

Everyone agreed, not bothering to wonder where Bianca had heard that word.

"Freeze! Environmental Protection Corps!" she shouted in an imperative voice. "Preston Keyes, you are coming with us!"

Preston Keyes looked all around him with murder in his eyes.

"You tricked me!" he spat. "You tricked me! All of you!"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," said Bea saucily. "Boom!"

The next events took place so quickly that everyone remembered them differently. The two grizzly bear thugs advanced upon Bea, but she shot one with her stun gun and her co-agent behind her shot the other. Preston Keyes shot towards the end of the stage and jumped at a large window. It shattered and he landed outside on the grass, running for his life towards the parking lot, where his chauffeur was still in the big black car.

Keyes opened the door to the car and jumped in.

"DRIVE!"

"Where to, sir?" asked the chauffeur, an elegantly-dressed ram.

"ANYWHERE! OUT OF TOWN! JUST DRIVE!"

The chauffeur put the car into gear and drove out of the parking lot, just as Bea and her co-agents and the rest of Bunny Burrow, all with cameras in their paws and hooves, poured out of the city hall.

"STEP ON IT!" shouted Keyes, and his chauffeur floored the gas pedal and shot out of the parking lot and towards the town exit.

"To your vehicles!" shouted Bea, and all her co-agents rushed to their vehicles.

Keyes's car raced down the road that led out of town. The chauffeur was confused but he did as he was told, driving at top speed away from the city. Keyes looked back. Seeing nobody chasing them, he sighed and buckled up.

"Close shave," said Keyes.

"Is everything alright, sir?" asked the chauffeur.

"Shut up and drive!" snapped Keyes.

The chauffeur did. They shot past farms and woodland, putting miles between themselves and Bunny Burrow.

Then suddenly…the chauffeur saw lights up ahead. Red and blue blinking lights.

"Sir…there's a police barrier," said the chauffeur, slowing down.

"DON'T SLOW DOWN, YOU MORON!" shouted Keyes. "RAM 'EM!"

"Sir!" said the chauffeur. "We'll get into terrible trouble…"

"WE'RE ALREADY IN TERRIBLE TROUBLE, IDIOT!"

At the police barrier, two squad cars were blocking the road. Sheriff Donovan Shepard, Officer Judy Hopps, Officer Nicholas P. Wilde, Garth O' Possum, Doctor Amber Beverly Latrans and a whole group of people from Bunny Burrow were all present. They had rakes and hoes and scythes in their paws and were ready to use them.

"Alright," shouted Shepard. "Tire shredders! Now!"

Several metres ahead of the barrier, Shepard's deputies Old Ben and Barkins unfolded a spike strip across the road. The chauffeur noticed and slammed the brakes.

"DON'T STOP! YOU MISERABLE COWARD!"

The black car drove over the spikes and the four tires burst! The chauffeur managed to bring the car to a stop a few metres from the police barrier, where Shepard and the others were waiting.

The black car came to a stop. The driver door opened and the chauffeur walked out with his hooves in the air.

"Whatever is going on here, I want no part of it!" said the chauffeur, walking towards Shepard. "I am turning myself in!"

"Good move, son," said Shepard. "Would you kindly cuff him, Judy?"

"My pleasure," said Judy as she cuffed the chauffeur, who offered no resistance.

Preston Keyes witnessed the scene, his face contorted with rage.

"KEYES," shouted Shepard. "STEP OUT OF THE CAR! YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN!"

Keyes cursed under his breath and opened the glove compartment. From it, he took a black case and opened it. Inside was a dart gun with several darts. He loaded the darts into the gun and cocked back the air pump.

"KEYES!" shouted Shepard. "TURN YOURSELF IN! YOU ARE SURROUNDED!"

Keyes opened the door and stepped out of the car. Then he raised his dart gun.

"ANYBODY MOVE AND I'LL SHOOT!" roared Keyes.

"Put the weapon down, Keyes!" said Old Ben, running with Barkins from behind the black car.

"GET BACK THERE!" said Keyes, aiming his dart gun at Old Ben.

"Ben! Do as he says!" shouted Shepard. "You too, Barkins!"

Old Ben and Barkins did as they were ordered, standing behind Shepard. Judy and Nick lifted their stun guns.

"DON'T!" yelled Keyes, aiming his dart gun into the crowd. "I'LL SHOOT THE FIRST MISERABLE WRETCH WHO MOVES!"

Everybody stood still. Judy and Nick knew that the darts were filled with deadly rattlesnake poison. If Keyes started shooting, it would be a terrible situation.

Then suddenly, Garth moved. He grabbed a rake from one of the crowd members and walked towards Keyes.

"STOP!" said Keyes, aiming his dart gun squarely at Garth's body.

"I'll show you, you stuck-up piece of vermin," said Garth as he advanced upon Keyes.

"STOP OR I'LL SHOOT YOU! I SWEAR!"

"I'll rake your face off, you two-bit varmint!" yelled Garth.

"STOP OR I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!"

"FOR BUNNY BURROW!" yelled Garth in an inspiring war cry. " _Schlachtet den feind! RAAAAAHHHH!_ "

The opossum charged! Preston Keyes pulled the trigger! A dart shot right into Garth's chest!

"AHHRRRGG!" yelled the opossum, pulling the dart out and falling to the ground.

"GARTH!" yelled Amber from the crowd.

"DON'T MOVE! ANYONE!" yelled Keyes, loading another dart.

"I'll kill you…I'll tan your hide…" said Garth as he dragged himself to Preston Keyes's feet.

Keyes kept his dart gun aimed at Garth as he watched the opossum dragging himself with difficulty towards him. And finally…

" _My….comrades….ugh…shall…avenge…my…death….ugh_ …"

And Garth slumped onto the ground at Preston's feet... _dead_.

"NOO!" wailed Amber. "You evil villain!"

The whole crowd moved a step closer to Keyes, their faces contorted with anger.

"Stand back!" yelled Keyes as he aimed his dart gun into the crowd. "Stand back or I'll shoot you! I'll shoot every one of your miserable hides! Not one more step…"

And suddenly, a long brown whip lashed through the air! It wrapped around Keyes's dart gun and snatched it out of his paw. Then it flung the gun away! Keyes looked incredulous!

"WHAT?!"

It was Garth's _tail_!

"FOOLED YOU!" taunted Garth.

The dart gun flew through the air and landed thirty feet away in a field on the side of the road.

Garth jumped up from the ground and his fist struck a ferocious uppercut on Keyes's jaw, knocking the rabbit back and sending him flying against the black car with a loud THUD!

"That was for Jenkins, evildoer!"

Preston Keyes fell to the ground, dizzy from the punch and unable to move.

"HAHAA!" laughed Garth. "You have been thwarted by the power of cunning, you miserable pile of regret!"

Garth stood with his paws to his hips and an ear-to-ear grin, posing dramatically and savouring every bit of this victorious moment.

"Thought you had killed me, you vile wretch?! I was just playin' possum with you! And you fell for the oldest trick in the book, like a sucker! Neener-neener-neener!"

Amber walked up behind Garth, laughing mirthfully as she hugged her sweetheart around the shoulders. Everyone walked up behind them, triumphantly watching the scene.

Keyes's head rose a bit and he looked up at Garth, standing there with his arms folded over his chest, a look of sheer triumph on his face. Garth and Amber put their thumbs to their ears and waggled their fingers, sticking their tongues out at the fallen rabbit.

"But…but how…" muttered Keyes. "How…are…"

"HA! How am I not dead?" said Garth theatrically. "You clearly didn't pay attention in science class, you dunderheaded dolt! Don't you know opossums are _immune_ to rattlesnake poison?"

Preston's eyes were wide with surprise and rage as Garth waggled his eyebrows.

"Once again, the stalwart servants of good triumph over the wicked," said Garth with Amber hugging his shoulders, "the hammer of truth smites them with all the power of righteousness! A power so awesome it tears the skies asunder with the clamorous cry of 'Vae Victus!'"

Then Amber chimed in.

" _And that's the bottom line_ …!"

"… _'cause Garth O' Possum said so_!" they both exclaimed.

Preston Keyes was beside himself with rage. But he could not utter a word. Sheriff Shepard lifted him up non-too-carefully by the scruff and pressed him against the side of the car. Everyone looked approvingly and waited.

"Ahh, I haven't done this in years," said Shepard with a smile. "I hope I haven't gotten rusty."

"Go on, Shep," said Old Ben with a jolly face as everybody watched with big smiles. "Let's all hear it."

Shepard was only too happy to oblige. He cuffed Preston Keyes securely and said the words.

"Preston Keyes, for your multiple crimes, not the least of which include attempted murder, kidnapping, severe damage to private property, verbal and physical assault, and a long list that the judge will no doubt recite for you, by the power vested upon me as Sheriff of Bunny Burrow, _I hereby_ _place you under arrest_ ," said Donovan Shepard, and everyone cheered and applauded with approval at those words. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law…"

Judy and Nick looked at each other triumphantly. They both felt it. The overpowering feeling of joy as they watched justice being served.


	7. All's Well that Ends Well

For his crimes, Preston Keyes was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The trial was televised. All of Zootopia and the towns beyond watched. Everyone in Bunny Burrow cheered with joy when the Judge pronounced the sentence. _The People vs. Preston Keyes_ became one of the most famous trials in history.

Terra Firma Incorporated was seized. It turned out that the chemists, accountants and several employees had been working under threat by Keyes. Many had family members being watched by Keyes's thugs. All the accomplices of the President of Terra Firma Incorporated were found and tried for their crimes.

Terra Firma Incorporated was dissolved, their assets liquidated. All title deeds for lands they had acquired were pronounced null and void and returned to their previous owners. The farmers were overjoyed to have their lands back. All the farmers were given instructions on how to repair the damage caused by the pan-dimonium acetate. The Environmental Protection Corps helped the farmers restore the fertility to their precious lands. Everyone worked hard to return their lives to normal.

Justice was served. The corrupt were imprisoned. All was well once more.

* * *

Judy and Nick walked into the visiting room of the penitentiary with Mrs Jenkins and the two daughters. The booths at the far end of the room were mostly occupied. Mrs Jenkins and the girls sat at one of the booths, their faces a mixture of relief and grief. Then, they saw him.

George Jenkins sat down on the other side of the glass, looking happily at his family and at the police officers who had helped him.

"Martha," said Jenkins, looking at his wife. "Heather, Jeanette. We made it."

"Oh, George," said Mrs Jenkins. "I wish…if only..."

"It's alright, Martha," said Jenkins. "This is a valuable lesson for the girls. When one commits a crime, even under threat like I was, one should take responsibility."

George Jenkins was given a twenty-year sentence, with parole after the tenth year. It took a lot of work and persuasion from all the people who had known him, including Judy and Nick and Garth and Amber and even Sheriff Donovan Shepard and his deputies. Not all were happy with the decision, but the Judge pronounced the sentence and it was done.

"You will be able to visit me," said Jenkins. "I'll still be able to go to Heather and Jeanette's graduations, in ten years. All that matters is that you are safe, Keyes is locked away for good, and all is well again. Count your blessings, my dear family. Daddy is alive, and you'll be able to have him back in time."

As the Jenkinses left, Judy and Nick sat down at the booth and Jenkins smiled happily.

"Officers Hopps and Wilde," said Jenkins. "I cannot thank you enough for what you've done for me. You saved my family, you saved me, and you saved everyone that horrible Keyes had under threat. You have my eternal gratitude."

"It was our pleasure, Mr Jenkins," said Judy.

"We're just glad Keyes can no longer harm anyone, and that all his corruption has been exposed and Terra Firma is now nothing but a memory," said Nick. "Still…I am sorry you had to end up in here."

"Aw, it's not that bad, Officer," said Jenkins. "I get plenty of exercise, which I must admit I've needed for a while. Martha will find me quite attractive in ten years."

Judy and Nick couldn't help smiling a little.

"And also, I made a new friend," said Jenkins, turning his head to the booth beside his. "Alright, Singcor?"

Judy and Nick looked at the booth beside theirs. A koala lady was sitting on their side. It was Sheila, the owner of Sheila's Café, the small and quaint café that overlooked the Old Outback Bridge. And on the other side was…

"Singcor Swim!"

The infamous platypus, leader of the Outbackers For Equality movement, was sitting on the other side. In his webbed paws he held a small pastry box with a cute cupcake, previously inspected by the prison staff to make sure it didn't hide anything compromising within it.

"Well, I'll be off now," said Jenkins, making a sign with his paw for the warden to return him to his cell.

As Jenkins left, Judy and Nick said hello to Sheila and Singcor.

"How are you being treated, Mr Swim?" asked Judy.

"Can't complain, Officer," said Singcor Swim. "I do miss the water, though, ain't gonna lie. I almost feel like I'll forget what swimming is by the time I leave this joint. But at least I don't have to smell that awful cheese anymore."

Judy and Nick chuckled a bit, remembering the events that had led them to the capture of Mr Swim.

"I see Sheila has brought you one of her scrumptious cupcakes," said Nick. "You're in for a treat. Sheila's cupcakes are deee-lightful!"

"Aww, thank you, Officer Wilde," said Sheila. "I visit as often as I can. He is one of us, after all."

"He is," said Nick, looking at Mr Swim. "Um…I know it probably doesn't mean much, but I truly am sorry I had to be the one to bring you in, Mr Swim."

"Aw, don't sweat it, mate," said Singcor. "Ain't so bad. I get three square meals a day and a new pulp novel every week. Who knows? I might decide to become a librarian when my sentence is over."

"That would be something, Singcor," said Sheila approvingly. "A respectable librarian in Outback Island is just what we need."

Judy and Nick were only too happy to agree.

* * *

" _IT'S REALLY HOT!"_

" _WHAT'S HOT?"_

" _WHAT WE GOT!"_

" _REALLY HOT!_

" _YOU'D BETTER RUN AWAY BEFORE YOU'RE CAUGHT!"_

"AWOOOOOOOOOOO _!"_

"GROW UP! THE LOT OF YOU!" roared Chief Bogo, slamming his file folders on the podium.

Every officer in the briefing room sat down, chuckling behind their paws, loving their new victory chant. Judy and Nick avoided each other's eyes, knowing they'd laugh if their gazes met.

"Alright, everyone," said Chief Bogo in an extremely annoyed tone. "Assignments. Wolford, Fangmeyer, Tundratown. Suspicious activity reported near Fishtown Market. Details sketchy. OH! And if I catch either of you peeking in through the keyhole of the Forensics Department again, I shall personally sign the transfer and have you two moved over to the Tundratown precinct permanently! Maybe that will cool you yahoos down."

Fangmeyer and Wolford smiled as they got up and took their assignment folder.

"Grizzoli, Rhinowitz, Delgato, safety week pep talk at Cornelius Tuskworth High School. Don't let me catch you hitting on the senior year girls! Show some dignity, for Pete's sake!"

The three took their assignments and exchanged looks.

"Hopps, Wilde! Traffic duty, Meadowlands Highway," said Bogo. "If you catch anyone a mile above the speed limit, you make them regret it."

"You got it, Chief," said Judy as she and Nick walked to the door.

As they got into their squad car and buckled up, Judy looked sideways at Nick. He donned his aviator sunglasses and was ready for duty.

"Looks like it's gonna be a quiet day, slick," said Judy with a smile.

"After all we've been through, Carrots, I can't tell you how happy I am to have one of those," said Nick.

"Amen to that, brother."

They bumped fists and Judy drove the squad car out of the garage.

* * *

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon. The air was cold and the first signs of frost could be seen in the leaves of the apple trees, now bare. But inside the Hopps family household, everything was joy and cheer.

The living room was changed. All the chairs and armchairs and the sofa were arranged in a row, and the end of the room was cleared out. A large cardboard stage was set, curtains and all, and Kevin was standing at one side of the stage, with a notebook in his paws.

"The evil bunny Breton Keese held the will in his paws, waving it before the poor damsel," he read out loud.

Garth O' Possum appeared from behind the curtain. He was wearing a classic villain suit, complete with cape and fake moustache.

"Bwahahaa!" laughed Garth. "Soon, the Ranch of Riches shall be mine! And so will the lovely heiress Daisy Mae Beverly!" he said theatrically, swishing his cape around his face.

The Hoppses were all sitting down on the chairs and sofa and armchairs and rug, watching the play that the kids had put together with their uncles and aunts and older siblings. Stu was recording everything with his camcorder.

"But what's that?!" said Beatrice Wilde, with the other part of the script in her paws. "Flying through the air like a hurricane! It's those champions of justice! Mighty Fox and his sidekick Little Ace!"

Nick appeared from the kitchen, pretending to soar around the room. He had Bianca on his shoulder. Both were dressed in hero capes and masks.

"Can our heroes arrive on time to save poor Daisy Mae Beverly from the clutches of the eeevil villain?" Kevin read out dramatically.

The curtains opened and Amber was lying on the carpet behind, tied with string to a cardboard train track.

"Bwahahahaaa!" laughed Garth, twirling his fake moustache. "I have tied the fair lady, heiress to the Ranch of Riches, to the train tracks! And unless she agrees to marry me and sign the will, she shall perish at noon when the train rushes through!"

"Oh me, oh my!" said Amber theatrically. "Will someone save me?!"

"Marry me, oh fair lady, and make me master of your ranch and all your riches, and you shall be spared!"

"No, no, a thousand times no!"

"Then I'm afraid you shall catch a train, my dear, for the last time in your life! Bwaahahaaa!"

"If only someone would save me from this wicked villain!"

"Haahaa! Nobody will save you, my dear!"

"Hark! What do I hear!" said Kevin.

"That poor maiden is in trouble, Little Ace!" said Nick dramatically.

"We must save her, Mighty Fox!" responded Bianca.

"That we shall, Little Ace!"

"Here we come to save the day!"

"Mighty Fox and Little Ace! Flying through the air at a flashing pace!" they chanted

They moved to the scene and Nick and Garth pretended to have a scuffle. Bianca untied Amber and pulled her away from the tracks.

"Fear not, fair lady! For saved you are!" said Bianca.

Garth fell to the floor, defeated, his fake moustache tousled and his cape tangled.

"I have been thwarted by the odious duo, Mighty Fox and Little Ace!" said Garth, frowning for the audience.

"Off to jail you shall go, you villain!" said Nick, posing heroically.

"Oh, Mighty Fox and Little Ace! Thank you! You are my heroes!" said Amber, giving them both kisses on their cheeks.

"All in a day's work, dear Miss Beverly!" said Bianca proudly.

"And so, another day is saved!" said Kevin.

"But evil shall never rest," said Bea. "And where evil plots, it will always be opposed by…"

"Mighty Fox and Little Ace!" exclaimed all of them. And they bowed for the audience.

The Hoppses applauded and cheered. The smaller Hoppses threw little paper flowers that Auntie Bea had helped them make onto the cardboard stage.

Judy applauded from the sofa, looking happily at her family and friends, all together and enjoying themselves on this lovely autumn evening. Nick was right: It was these little things in life that made them proud to serve and protect. And she would continue to proudly serve and protect, doing her very best, beside her dear partner Nicholas Wilde, and her dear friends Garth and Amber and Bea.

All together: Hoppses, Wildes, O' Possum and Latrans…this was the way to be.

Together.

Like one big loving family.

* * *

The music was joyful and the dancing merry. Everyone was enjoying themselves in the town hall, dancing and laughing and tapping their feet to the music. Paper streamers and balloons made the hall looks cheerful and festive. Sheriff Donovan Shepard sat on the stage and played the fiddle, Old Ben played the banjo and Barkins made some impressive notes with a trumpet. Nana Bernardine played the piano and everyone on the dance floor showed their excellent moves.

Everyone was wearing their best. The party was a total success. Bunny Burrow had accumulated more than enough funds to meet everyone's needs for that winter. Stuart Hopps had donated all the money left over that Nick had given to him, which was a generous amount even after Stu had paid off his loan. Stu had donated it in Nick's name, and the whole town thanked the gallant Officer Wilde and praised him and told him that he and his cousin Bea would always be welcome in Bunny Burrow.

Amber, Garth and Bea had made a campaign to raise awareness in Zootopia of the plights of all the towns affected by Terra Firma's ambitions. Amber was especially persuasive, making use of her excellent skills and charm. The very next day after Amber had implored all the people on national television to please show solidarity towards the farming towns affected by the pan-dimonium acetate, the numbers of donations ascended into the hundreds of thousands. Bunny Burrow was in their debt and they did their best to demonstrate their gratitude to the wonderful city folk who had come to their aid when they needed it most.

Cletus Hareington was ecstatic. As he sat with Stu and the other old boys and Nick in a circle at the party, he couldn't stop praising Nick for all he had done for Bunny Burrow and for saving his life.

"They say it takes a great bunny to admit he's wrong! So I must be a great bunny, 'cause I admit I was wrong about you, sonny," said Cletus. "You're a fine gent, Officer Wilde. And just to make it all right, I'd like to welcome you into our community as is proper."

And with that, he produced a brown jug capped with a cork. He pulled the cork and offered it to Nick. The smell of whatever was inside the jug was strong enough to unclog an elephant's sinuses.

"Here you go, Officer!" said Cletus. "It's my new batch. And I want you to take the inaugural swig."

Nick accepted. Before he drank, though, he lifted the jug and looked at all the old boys.

"To Bunny Burrow, to its wonderful residents, and to the many years of friendship ahead of us."

"Cheers!"

"Well said!"

"I second that!"

"Hear, hear!"

All the old boys showed their approval.

"Bottoms up now, pardner!" said Old Papa McCotton.

Nick took a swig. At first, he felt nothing. Then suddenly…

"Yow!"

The fiery liquid made him cough and he felt like his eyes would pop out of their sockets. Stu Hopps patted him on the back, chuckling paternally.

Finally, when Nick could speak again, he turned to Cletus.

"Whoa," said Nick, his eyes watering and his throat still feeling like he had just swallowed hot coals. "Whatever it is you got in there…Cletus... _sure packs a wallop_!"

They all roared with laughter and Cletus slapped Nick's back jovially.

"Atta boy!" said Cletus.

And right then, Judy, dressed in lovely purple and with a yellow ribbon around her left ear, came skipping towards them and took Nick's arm.

"Mind if I borrow this handsome buck for a moment?" asked Judy.

"Go right ahead, little lady," said Cletus. "He's all yours."

All the old boys applauded and cheered as Judy whisked away the fox, taking him to the middle of the dancing floor, just as the music began.

Judy and Nick danced gracefully to the lively piece. Everyone clapped to the rhythm and tapped their feet, enjoying the music and the joy among the neighbours and friends of Bunny Burrow.

Judy glanced to her left. She saw Garth and Amber dancing like a pair of lovebirds. Not far from them, Penny Hopps and Charlie McCotton were dancing happily together, blushed and ecstatic.

Judy looked to her right and saw Bea sitting beside Bonnie and the older Hopps girls, clapping happily and laughing.

Then Judy caught sight of Gideon Gray, taking a deep breath and walking shyly up to Bea.

"M…Miss Wilde," stammered Gideon. "Would you concede me…the honour of…this dance?"

Bea's smile could have pulverised diamond.

"I thought you'd never ask!" said Bea delightedly, getting up and taking his paws and tugging him to the dance floor. "Come on, Gid, let's tear it up!"

Judy giggled happily as her eyes turned back to her handsome partner. Nick gazed back at her as they danced.

The music changed. It became a slower, more romantic tune. The couples of Bunny Burrow and Zootopia swayed together, sharing their feelings as they moved to the compass of the lovely notes.

Judy and Nick danced close to each other. Their noses almost touching, their eyes fixed on each other's gazes.

"Well, what do you think, Nick?" whispered Judy after a long while.

"Nice old-fashion fun evening in a quaint, rural town, surrounded by family and friends," said Nick. "What can I say? I could definitely get used to this. Big time."

Judy giggled, putting her paws on his shoulders.

"Don't make me kiss you in front of everyone, Mr Wilde," said Judy.

"Are you threatening me, Miss Hopps?" asked Nick with his mischievous smile.

"No, I'm tempting you," cooed Judy.

"Well, heavens help me, for I have fallen into temptation."

He hugged her and their noses bumped lightly.

"Oh, Nicholas P. Wilde, you are incorrigible," giggled Judy.

Nick leaned closer to her with his trademark grin.

"You know you love me," he crooned.

"Do I know that?" said Judy. "Hmmm..."

And with that, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him closer and kissed his lips. They kissed passionately in the middle of the dancing floor, even after the music had ended. Everyone present watched and applauded, cheering for the lovely young couple.

Judy pulled back slowly from their kiss. She gazed at her beloved fox, ecstatic and warm with pure and absolute bliss.

" _Yes_ ," she said finally, looking lovingly into his eyes. " _Yes, I do_."

 **The End**


End file.
